


Beneath The Surface

by ThatPotatoWhoWrites



Series: Surviving A Flood Gives Deep Roots [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Child Abuse, Evil Padme, F/M, Sith Padmé Amidala
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:08:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 43
Words: 100,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23649733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatPotatoWhoWrites/pseuds/ThatPotatoWhoWrites
Summary: When Padmé’s parents were killed, she was taken and raised by Sheev Palpatine. Throughout the years, she grows to become a powerful Sith at the heart of the senate who is constantly lying to those closest to her. As the war reaches a close, she realises her master is plotting something nefarious for Anakin’s future. Can she stop her husband from falling to the dark side whilst aiding her master’s take over of the senate? Or, will she fail and watch everything she has ever loved burn around her? Can she keep her real identity a secret from Anakin? All whilst being heavily pregnant.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Yoda, Leia Organa & Anakin Skywalker & Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Yoda, Padmé Amidala & Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker, Padmé Amidala & Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padmé Amidala & Sheev Palpatine | Darth Sidious, Padmé Amidala & Yoda, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Series: Surviving A Flood Gives Deep Roots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1702633
Comments: 80
Kudos: 113





	1. More of a Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic has psychological torture in it. It that is difficult for you to read I would suggest not going any further. If it does effect you and you still want to read it however, avoid chapter one and thirteen. You know what’s best for you.

As far back as she could remember, Padmé's master had always been a dark shadow looming in her peripheral vision. Palpatine's true nature however, hadn't always been obvious. In her earliest years, he had been the man that selflessly took her in when she found herself orphaned by a tragic accident. Although aloof, his presence had always been welcome. Especially when he took time to teach her an entirely new language just for them to speak. 

The lady that raised Padmé had been short and stout but filled with personality. Orion was not one to put up with any sort of disobedience, but she had always been incredibly kind. In fact, she was one of the warmest presences the child had ever felt. At the age of four, Orion had given Padmé a swamp monkey. The creature was the cutest thing she had ever laid eyes on. With a tiny black nose, two gleaming golden eyes and a coat of sleek, green fur. The most peculiar thing about it, was the large white patch that spanned the bridge of her nose. It was a distinctive marking that Padmè had never seen on a swamp monkey before. It simply made her special.

Very imaginatively, the creature was named Greenie. Greenie's tail was long and arched and with ease she would coil it around Padmé's arm to swing effortlessly back and forwards. That trick alone had provided the pair with endless hours of entertainment.

As they grew up together, they had become inseparable. Every day after she arrived back from her tutoring, Greenie would jumping up and down and screaming in the windows of their home. They slept side by side every night, with the monkey curled into her arms. Greenie never grew to be particularly large, only the size of an astromech's dome. It was perfect for allowing her to sit on Padmé's shoulder as she completed her work and tottered about her day. In the mornings, they would sit at the grand marble table in the kitchen and Orion would bring them both a bowl of fresh fruit and berries. 

Throughout this time, Palpatine had taken to showing her some basic forms of blade fighting. Although it helped she had started learning at the age of four, Padmé had taken to the sport like a Gungan to water. A lot of her free time was spent in their expansive back garden practising drill and movements. Greenie would forge through the long-grasses for bugs and beasties she could consume. Padmé had never felt so free, or in control, as she had when she was swinging her make-shift blade. The world seemed to slow around her. A sense of calm washed over her senses. In a way she couldn't explain, she could feel all the creatures hustling life around her. It was like their emotions flowed through her mind. It was the most peace she ever felt.

Palpatine was also very fond of explaining the faults in the political system around them. By five, she knew the republic and Nabian hierarchy like the back of her hand. She also knew of all their short comings and downfalls. Of all the ways they had left entire systems to suffer and starve while their markets were booming and profitable. Padmé had seen all the holo's of children with skeletal bodies begging for help, too weak to lift themselves from the floor. The worst she had seen was a man being skewered alive for stealing bread to feed his children on some dying planet on the outer rim. From such a young age, she knew the senate would have to change or be destroyed. It was ineffective operated a self-serving system. 

At the age of six was when her life really changed. It was a warm summer afternoon when Padmé had returned home from tutoring. Stepping into the grand foya, she had stared around the marble flooring and scanned the curving stairwell. Silence. No Greenie. A shot of panic coursed through her veins. Even after calling the monkeys name, there was no response. After waiting with baited breath for several moments, Orion's voice boomed across the house. "Come to the lounge sweetheart, Greenie is with me." Padmé raced through the house, her footsteps thundered against the hard floor. 

In the center of the lounge, Orion was seated on the floor. Large plush couches were dotted around the sunlight room, but the glass table had been shoved away into a corner. The woman was kneeling over a wide, wooden box and a long green tail was flicked over the side. The blue carpet surrounding the box was speckled with dark stains. Palpatine was standing by Orion's side, peering over her shoulder. The corners of his lips were tugged downwards and his top lip curled up. Padmé's heart seized in her chest. "Is Greenie okay?" Padmé asked gently, her voice wavering.

Orion's dark eyes flicked up to meet her own. A wide grin split the woman's features. "Come look honey," she beckoned her closer. Carefully, she padded closer. One look inside the box, and her head tilted in confusion. Greenie was lying on her back, three tiny pink creatures were nestled into the fur of her stomach. Were they parasites? The monkey chirped in delight the moment it landed its half lidded eyes upon her. "This cheeky little monkey has had babies," Orion explained.

Padmé's mouth fell open. A rush of delight coursed through her vein, accompanied by a strange surge of power. Before she understood what was happening, the glass table shattered. Shards whistled through the air and a wet clunk sounded. Orion was peppered with glass shards protruding from her skin. One particularly large piece was lodged deep within her skull. Padmé staggered back a few steps, a scream escaping her lips. Orion's body slumped forwards and thudded to the floor. The swamp-monkeys began to wail.

Padmé ran to Palpatine, grabbing fistfuls of his robes and burying her face within them. "Oh dear," Palpatine hummed, dropping down to one knee in front of her. It startled her that his face was blank, devoid of any emotion, but the way he felt was worse. The coddling warmth she knew so well was consumed by a black hole of darkness. Terror made her heart pound. The nauseating strength oozed out of him, drowning out everything else. "What have you done?" He asked, his voice dangerously low.

Padmé's eyes widened a fraction. "I... It not me. I was far away," she protested. 

Palpatine shook his head gravely. "You did. Didn't you feel it?" He told her sternly. Padmé's body began to go numb, indeed she had felt a strange rush of power. Palpatine wouldn't lie to her either. A cold queasiness squeezed her stomach. Warm tears bubbled up into her eyes. In the corner of her vision, she could see an inky, scarlet liquid puddling on the floor. "You just killed dear Orion," his voice was deep, scratchy and dripping with condemnation. 

Letting out a pained squeak, she shook her head, "I didn't wanted to!" Tears began streaming down her cheeks. A fine trembling rattled her body. 

Palpatine's darkness retreated away until it was nothing but an afterimage within her memory. Instead, his normal warmth wrapped around her. "It's okay, it's just your nature. You can't help it," he told her softly, his face shifting with concern. 

"My... nature?" Padmé asked through a sob. The world spun around her. The only thing that remained steady was Palpatine.

"I will speak to you about it later, go and stay in you room," he told her with a sad smile and rose to his feet. Padmé nodded her head and rocketed away, only faltering at the sight of Orion's lifeless eyes. The moment she entered her bland room, it hit her. Orion, the woman who was so kind to her, was dead and it was Padmé's fault. Throwing herself beneath her thin duvet, sobs wracked her body and shook the whole bed. Orange rays of light streamed in through the small holes in the woven fabric.

Padmé didn't know how long she stayed beneath that blanket. It was a long enough time for her to cry herself dry. Lying on her side, she was curled into a tight ball. The air beneath her sheet was humid and warm. The skin on her face was tight with crusted tears and her body felt completely numb. Not even the sound of Palpatine's footsteps could shoot life into her body. The bed dipped as he sat down beside her. With a low grumble, he peeled the sheet off of her. Cold air rushed into her lungs and washed her skin. The room was nearly pitch black. The one light source came from the long window. The moon's brightness reflected from Palpatine's sharp features. "Padmé, I think it's time I told you the truth," he let out a weary sigh as he gently regarded her small form. 

Pushing herself up to sit, she furrowed her brows. "The truth about what?" She asked as she scrubbed away the dried tears from her face. 

"Your parents," he responded softly. Padmé's mouth fell open. When she'd asked in the past, he had simply told her they were dead and refused to elaborate any further. "You have a unique gift, my dear," he informed her. "A gift I have too," he lifted a hand towards her pillow, and much to her amazement it began to float up into the air. Palpatine's presence morphed into the strange blackness she felt earlier. It smothered her completely. 

"How?" Padmé pointed a tiny finger at the pillow.

"I am using the force," he replied. "Just as you did, when you killed Orion." The statement knocked the wind out of her. Padmé drew her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on the top of her knees. "The force is a very powerful energy that flows through us all. People like us have the ability to manipulate it." Padmé bit down on her lip. A flicker of hope ignited within her chest. Perhaps this energy he spoke of used her like a puppet. Maybe it killed Orion through her.

"I don't like the force. It made me kill Orion," her voice wavered.

"No, no, my dear. The force didn't use you to kill her, you used it," his tone was strict. Padmé's gut fell from her stomach. "You did the same thing to your parents," he informed her. The world stopped spinning. Shock fried her mind. 

"I did?" Padmé whispered, pressure built behind her eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," Palpatine placed a hand upon her shoulder. "I wanted to protect you as long as I could from your own evil nature," he admitted with a soft smile. The pale moonlight reflected harshly from his eyes.

"Evil... nature..." Padmé repeated slowly. The words burned in her mouth. It didn't feel right. None of it felt right, but Palpatine was always right. If he said she had killed three people, then she had. 

"Yes. You are one of the darkest beings I have ever come across. Pure, unwarranted bloodlust," he spoke with a light tone but every word felt like a blow to the stomach. "You will kill again, unless you are trained how to control your powers." The tears began to flow once more. A hopeless sense of guilty was thrashing around in her gut.

"You train me?" Padmé's voice shivered as intensely as her body when she spoke.

Palpatine let out a long hum. "It won't be easy. It will be very painful."

Padmé shook her head. "I don't care, train me. Please. I don't want to kill more." Every inch of her was revolted by herself. By the horrid actions she had committed. After hurting so many that cared about her, she really must be the worst evil in the world. Just like Palpatine said.

"If I take you under my wing, you must align yourself with my goal," he sat up straight and rolled his shoulders back. Padmé cocked her head to the side. Anything he asked, she would do. Nothing would stop her from gaining control over her cursed powers. "We are going to derail the senate and assume control," he spoke with a hint of pride and excitement.

Padmé took a shaky breath in between tears. "To make the galaxy better again?" Maybe then all the holos he had shown her of the outer rim violence would stop. Maybe then they could make everyone happy. It sounded like a good penance.

"Yes. You can twist that evil within you for your own purposes. We can help those that cannot help themselves," he reached a long and thin hands out towards her, a crooked grin slapped on his face. Without a moment of hesitation, she rested her own tiny palm within his. "Great," he purred. "From now on, you will call me master."

At the time, Padmé hadn't really understood the consequences of her agreement. Not until a few months later. Palpatine had taken a hovercraft out onto the sparkling lake that their secluded country home overlooked. The air was still and then sun beat down on their backs. Huge groves of emerald trees hung over the rocky shores. They sat for a moment at the centre of the water, Greenie and her babies were snuggled happily into her lap. The tiny monkeys were larger and had a thick coat of their own fur, but all six of them remained safely inside their mother's pouch. 

Padmé and Palpatine were sitting directly across from one another on opposite ends of the craft. "What are we doing out here, master?" She asked sweetly, cocking her head to one side. The heat from Greenie seeped through her clothing and warmed her lap.

"Today, you are going to learn what it really means to be a sith," Palpatine explained calmly. Before Padmé could question him any further, he raised a palm into the air. One of the small monkey babies floated out from Greenie's pouch. It let out a shriek, it's tiny limbs flailed in the air. Greenie sprung to her feet with a cry and desperately tried to reach out and grab her baby. 

With a twitch of his fingers, the monkey baby was flung overboard. Greenie let out a horrified shriek. There was a hard splash. Padmé gasped, practically throwing herself over the side of the craft. A tight, invisible grip held her into place. The tiny baby splashed just below the surface. Bubbles erupted from the water along side a warped and warbled scream. "What you doing!" Padmé shouted at her master, but her head was still pinned into place. No matter how she fought, her master's strength completely overpowered her. 

"A sith's power comes from pain and loss," Palpatine explained in a stern voice. Padmé had to strain to hear it over the screams of the monkeys. Greenie was lifted into the air. All she could do was writhe and watch her baby drown. "You must forfeit your attachments, if you wish to grow stronger."

Padmé stifled a cry. The baby's movements were becoming sloppy and slow. "They just babies!" She argued back.

"My dear, I am doing this for you. So that you can gain control of your evil," Palpatine snapped back. The infant finally stopped fighting. It's small body sunk down into the inky blackness below. Sidious didn't wait before he plucked another baby from the wailing Greenie and plunged it beneath the crystal surface. Padmé stifled a cry. Tears pooled into her eyes and dribbled down her cheeks. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to burn the image from her mind. The wails were soul splitting. That was the first time she heard that horrendous noise, the scream of a dying baby, but it certainly wouldn't be the last. "Open your eyes, you must see this! Don't let their sacrifice be in vein," Palpatine hissed. Hesitantly, she pried them open. The water churned and boiled over the struggling infant. A silent sob rocked her body. 

It took a long time for Palpatine to individually drown each of the infants. All of them put up a strong fight. An incredible fight. A fight Padmé couldn't reciprocate. Each time one of their green hides vanished into the darkness, a small piece of her shattered within. If she was allowing her master to do this, then she truly was the worst evil to ever exist. Greenie had fallen silent. Emerald eyes scanned the calm surface of the water and her mouth hung open. "Get in the water," Palpatine instructed. The grip on Padmé vanished. 

Reluctantly, she clambered over the edge of the boat and slipped into the freezing waters. The cold stole her already ragged breath from her chest. The sun reflecting off the surface beamed into her eyes. Above her, her master was nothing more than a shadowy silhouette, outlined by the blue sky. Padmé's limbs worked hard to keep herself afloat. There was a splash and icy water splattered onto her face. With a cry, she lifted a hand to swipe the droplets from her face. Greenie had been plunged into the water beside her, however the monkey wasn't being held under like her babies had been. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Padmé's neck and cuddled close to her chest. Greenie burrowed her face into Padmé's shoulder and let out a series of soft, whimpering cries. The soaked fur stuck slickly to her skin. With one hand, she gently patted the monkey's back. "Finish the job," Palpatine hissed from above.

Padmé's gut sunk out of her body. Stifling her own tears, she shook her head violently. "I can't. I love Greenie," her voice waved and shook.

"If you don't kill her now, you will end up doing it in the future anyway. Just like you did with Orion and your parents," he spat. Padmé let out a withering whine. "It is the only way you will ever gain control Padmé. If you don't, everyone you will ever meet will be at risk from you," he grumbled. Padmé planted a kiss on the top of Greenie's head. "Unless you seize control of yourself, you will become a vicious murderer. It will only get worse for you." Tears flowed endlessly from her eyes. 

"I'm so sorry Greenie," she whispered against the top of the monkey's head. Bringing her arms up, she gripped at its sides, ripped her from her grasps and plunged her underwater. The noise of Greenie's distorted, bubbling screams were drowned out by Padmé's own sobs. The monkey thrashed in her grasps and clawed desperately at her wrists. Padmé kicked furiously to keep herself afloat The water churned and splashed around them. Palpatine cackled manically from above. 

Padmé's cries grew louder when she felt the monkey's movement becoming sloppy and slow. Tears blurred her vision and her throat ached with every breath. Greenie went still and she let go. A harsh beam of light illuminated the shifting image of the monkey's body. It descended slowly to the depths. The limbs were splayed out and the current rocked the green fur Padmé had loved so much. The last part of Greenie to disappear from view, was the big white splotch that sat upon the bridge her nose.


	2. Control

Padmé's long dress dragged along the floor as she strode into the chancellor’s office. Brilliant sunlight streamed in the large windows and illuminated the red walls. Plush furniture was arranged in a circle around a huge statue, a path cutting directly through it toward a wide desk that sat at the opposite end of the room. There sat Palpatine, his robes as pristine and perfect as always. Papers were spread across his desk and a pair of eye glasses rested on the tip of his nose. "Chancellor," Padmé greeted, approaching him slowly.

"Padmé my dear, how are you?" He asked, waving her over. A sweet cologne gently blanched her senses. It reminded her of the scents that would pour out from the hundreds of colourful sweet shops dotted around Coursant. With a flick of his wrinkled hand, he motioned to one of the seats in front of him.

Plastering a thin smile onto her face, she perched on the seat. Streams of speeders zoomed passed the window and across the expansive city skyline stretched out before them. "I am doing great," she nodded her head, keeping her posture stick straight. "Though I must say I am relieved to have you back alive and well, I've never understood why you put yourself in such dangerous situations," she added. 

The chancellor glanced over to her, the corners of his lips curved upwards. "I seem to recall you flinging yourself into the arms of death several times, only to be rescued by that white knight of yours." Clasping his hands, he pierced her eyes with his own. A cold shiver ran down her spine. Placing her hands atop her swollen belly, she sent him another innocent smile.

"Well I couldn't blow my cover," she replied, the edges of her voice sharpening a little. "And a girl gets bored stiff watching political sycophants chase their tails." Although there were many perks to her job, there wasn't ever a day that went by where she didn't want to scream. It was nothing more than a cess pit of self-serving buffoons. They refused to see reason even when it smacked them in the face. Especially if that reason didn't align with their own agendas. If only they cared about the future of the galaxy, then they wouldn't be lined up for an overtake. If all went to plan, the senate would be under Palpatine's thumb within the year.

The chancellor let out a low hum. "Well, as long as you stay safe," he sighed, turning his gaze back down to the paper before him. A slight tenseness pulled her shoulders up.

"Its a pity about Count Dooku, he was very useful," Padmé sat back slightly in her seat. Although she had no particular liking for the man, he had certainly been invaluable in this never ending war. It was a pity he had died without seeing the galaxy finally submerged in peace.

"Indeed," Palpatine replied, sitting back into his seat. "But at the current moment, he has more value to me dead than alive." The admission was spoke in a blank, robotic voice. It was a jarring difference from the wide smile he had on his face. "Infact, it was your Anakin Skywalker who killed him." Padmé raised her brows. Anakin may have a temper, but he was no murderer. "Quite the sight really." Palpatine plucked his eye glasses from his nose and placed them on the table. "First he disarmed the count, leaving him utterly defenceless, and then chopped his head clean off with Dooku's own lightsabre."

Padmé smile did not falter, but her mental shields tightened. There was more to the story, no doubt. A bubble of angst rose within her. "I didn't think killing the defenceless was a Jedi practice," she commented softly, smoothing out some wrinkles on the deep burgundy dress she wore. 

"Perhaps Skywalker simply had enough of Dooku's meddling," the chancellor offered with a mild mannered shrug. This only caused her unease to grow. Shelving the information, she promised herself to meditate on it later. If there was something going on with Anakin, she would find out. Even if he was stubborn, he had come to accept he could never hide anything from her. 

"That is a possibility," she responded calmly. If Sidious was trying to unnerve her, it was working. The only solace she has was that the sith wouldn't be able to feel her concern, not with the thick shields she had raised around her force presence. Padmé's defences were impressive enough to prompt praise from her master. They were so intense, they nearly completely severed her connection from the force. It hampered her way of life, but years of practice allowed her to adapt to the dull world of non force-sensitives.

"How did Skywalker take the pregnancy?" The chancellor asked, clasping his hands over his thigh. 

"He was delighted," she told him. When it had come time to tell him of their unborn child, she had been exceptionally excited. Even if he would never admit to it, Anakin had a soft spot for children and she knew he had secretly longed for one of his own for some time. The overwhelming delight he felt when she told him he was going to be a father was imprinted on her mind. It was so overpowering that even with her muted sense she had practically felt it as her own. Every time the memory sprung to mind, a goofy grin erupted onto her face. Every time but in front of the Chancellor. Instead, she kept a weak smile pinned to her features. 

"How wonderful," Palpatine exclaimed, his voice ringing with joviality. "What a lovely little family you will be." Padmé simply nodded her head. There was something that unsettled her about his enthusiasm. The chancellor asked only about her life when he wanted something. Curling her hands around her stomach, she leaned back slightly. Pressing his lips into a thin line, he cleared his throat. "I would like for you to begin spreading preposterous rumours about the Jedi." Sidious ordered, grasping at a holopad placed on his desk.

"The Jedi?" Padmé's voice hitched and she tilted her head to one side.

"Yes, the Jedi." Sidious snapped back, his tone cutting. Padmé straightened up again, her arms tightening over her stomach. "Make them appear as though they are plotting something big, and do it quickly." He explained it like he would to a stubborn toddler. 

Padmé clenched her jaw and tilted her head down. "It will be done, my master."

Much later that evening, Padmé found herself curled on her side. The warmth of the bed cradled her. From behind, she could hear the gentle whooshing of Anakin's breath. Inhaling deeply, she relished the bitter sweet scent he always carried. The sweet citrus of his cologne always clashed with the lingering smell of machine oil he could never quite get rid of, but she didn't mind. It was an aroma unique to him. 

The dim lighting allowed her to settle into a trance like state, yet sleep would not come to her. The conversation she had with her master was still fresh in her mind. Not even spending the night with Anakin had been able to distract her from it. Whenever she stopped laughing or talking for even a moment, the memory tugged at her attention. 

It was clear he was plotting again, which she didn't mind. The war was dragging on far too long for her liking. Hundreds of people were being slaughtered senselessly every day. The thought of Anakin leaving on a mission one day and never returning terrified her. Although, in his absence over the last many months, she had been given the task to spread rumours of his death. Even uttering such a sentence had made her feel sick to the stomach, but she had done it for the greater good. When Sidious finally seized control of the senate, the galaxy would be forced into peace. The sith would rule a galaxy of people who didn't have the constant terror of war on their minds. What did bothered her about their conversation was his strange obsession with Anakin. Not to mention going out of his way to make sure that Dooku died by his hand. It didn't matter to her if they had to twist a few Jedi to get to the top, it only mattered if the Jedi being twisted was her husband. 

As if he knew her thoughts, the Jedi began to twist and turn in his sleep. Feint mumbles escaped his lips. Terror rippled off of him in tidal waves. At first, she decided to ignore it. It wasn't uncommon for him to have nightmares and it was completely normal for those who have experienced the true nature of war to be haunted by its brutality in their dreams. The noise however, kept escalating until he let out a cry and bolted upright. Padmé lifted herself from her side and turned to face him. "What's wrong Ani?" She asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. With a slight shock, she realised he was trembling beneath her fingertips. Through the strips of moonlight that streamed in through their window, she noticed a sheen a sweat clinging to his body.

"Nothing," he replied gruffly, but even his voice was shaken. Turning to face her, he reached out and brushed two fingers across the small wooden necklace that dangled from her neck.

Padmé cupped the side of his face with her palm and stared deeply into his weary eyes. "Please tell me what's wrong," Her voice was incredibly soft. It always shocked her how different she sounded when she spoke to him. Somehow he brought out a delicacy within her that she had to fake around everyone else. "We need to start trusting each other more," she told him. Lifting his human hand, he placed it over her own. Two downtrodden blue eyes, lit by the moon, peered at her. Guilt churned within her stomach. It wasn't easy to lie to him, but she did it because she had to. Anakin could never know of her history with the Sith, it would make him hate her, and that was a thought that haunted her darkest nightmares.

With a sigh he reached up with his other hand and twirled a piece of her hair around his finger. "I had a nightmare about you," he told her solemnly. "The kind I used to have before my mother died." Pulling her hand away from him, she placed them over her stomach. Tightness crept across her chest. "You were in pain. A lot of pain. You died during childbirth." 

Padmé nibbled on her bottom lip. It had crossed her mind that she might die before true peace befell the galaxy, but it wasn't a future she had wanted to put much thought into. Dying for her cause would be a respectable death, but not if she dragged her child to an early grave because of it. "What of the child?" Her voice dipped below a whisper.

"I don't know," he admitted, shaking his head. If Padmé did have to die, she would hope that she could at least leave a part of her behind to be remembered by. Anakin would be a great parent, much better than she could ever be. In truth, she had no idea how to raise a child. Perhaps it would be in the best interest of their baby if she wasn't in the picture.

"It's just a dream," she sighed, lifting herself to her knees, wrapping her arms around his neck and placing her chin atop his head. 

Below her he shifted, wrapping one of his own arms around her. "Yes, I will make sure it's just a dream. I won't let you die." There was a darkness within his voice that rattled her to her core. It was unnatural in him. A sudden thought grabbed her attention. What purpose could Sidious have had in killing Dooku? With a shock, she peered down at Anakin. The trembling had ceased, but his face was still cradled against her upper chest. As a powerful Jedi, he was one of the republic's most fearsome warriors. Sidious's plot had been aimed to kill Dooku, nudging Anakin towards the dark side. Anger shot through her, but she squashed it before it could leak through her shields. 

Perhaps she was right to be startled by her master's mention of her child. It was very convenient that Anakin had a nightmare only one night later that was startlingly similar to the visions he had of his mother's death. Visions the Chancellor knew about. Sidious also knew of the terrible reaction Anakin had when his mother died, slaughtering an entire village of sand people. The memory of his all-consuming rage made her stomach churn. Seeing him so distressed felt like being unable to help a wailing toddler with its foot caught beneath a rock. It had been the closest he had ever come to falling to the dark side. 

Pulling away from Anakin, she pushed him back down onto the bed and lay down beside him. Sidious was a very skilful force wielder. It wasn't inconceivable that he could plant fake visions of the future within another person's mind, especially when their shields were weakened in a state of sleep. Anakin settled down into the bed beside her, but his emotions were still frayed. With a gentle sigh, she rolled over and draped an arm over his stomach, curling into his side. It eased his distress a little. It was always possible it was all one big coincidence and the chancellor was simply curious about their relationship, but the feint whisperings of the force she could make out told her otherwise. 

Patiently, she remained completely still. It wasn't long before Anakin lapsed back into slumber once more. Never could she understand how he fell asleep so easily, even when upset, and she had a feeling she never would. Padmé wedged open the thick shielding around her. A breath of relief escaped her lips when the world burst to life. Hundreds of creatures milled about the city. Their emotions swirled, mixed and swayed. Each individual was more different than the last. Despite wanting to enjoy the sensation a little longer, she focused her attention onto Anakin's blinding light. Slipping easily around his lowered defences, she gently brushed the edge of his mind. What she felt made her anger spike out of control. 

Anakin shifted beneath her, his presence stirred. Quickly, she yanked herself from his mind and slammed her defences down. The world was reduced to muted sensations and only her immediate surroundings. It didn't matter to her. The anger in her chest was spiralling out of control and banging against her shields. It begged to be let out. There was no doubt someone had recently delved into Anakin's mind. There was darkness smeared all over his emotions. A darkness she knew all too well. Padmé had no idea what Sidious's motive was, but she couldn't risk Anakin getting hurt. This little game needed to stop.


	3. Puppet

Padmé's cheeks were beginning to ache, as they often did after a few hours in the senate building. The corridors were bustling with many politicians exchanging pleasantries and dipping into their offices. A loud chatter echoed throughout the red hallways. A tall togruta woman was walking beside Padmé, her fine silken robes draped delicately over her petite shoulders. The orange and red tones complemented her skin perfectly. Even the rich shades of rouge she wore upon her cheeks and lips brought out the most of her beautiful features. "My heart goes out to the Jedi," the Togruta sighed dramatically. "They have been working tirelessly to keep as all safe recently."

"Indeed, only last week I saw poor master Windu down at the docks speaking to some hooded figures." Padmé replied running a hand along her chin. "Even back on Couresant they have no rest." A sigh as equally dramatic escaped her own lips.

The Togruta tilted her head towards Padmé, her eyes lighting up. "Hooded figures?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. A few senators pushed past them to slip into an office by their side.

"Yes, yes," Padmé nodded her head, casting her eyes down to the floor. "They looked to be having quite a heated discussion and fled rather quickly after seeing me. I do hope they are apprehended by the Jedi quickly. They looked to be quite a shady bunch."

"Master Windu fled with them?" The Togruta press, batting her thick eyelashes. Padmé was bored of playing these games. The senators were always so eager to bite. It was pitiful. Most people had filed out of the corridors, leaving only a straggling few behind.

"Yes, although I assumed he was just giving chase." Padmé commented, placing a hand over her heart.

The Togruta placed a hand over her shoulder, "of course he was, and I am sure those hooligans are already in prison." Excitement rose like bubbles around the senator. Despite her tempered connection to the force, Padmé could feel her delight. Had they not been face to face, she might have curled her lip in disgust. It was however, nothing out of the ordinary. The senate building was a black spot in the force. It made her skin crawl. There were very few who sought to do genuine good.

From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the Chancellor's office door. Anger simmered beneath the surface of her skin. Turning to the senator, she flashed her a pathetic smile. "If you'll excuse me a moment, I must speak with the chancellor." The Togruta gave her a wave as Padmé strode towards the door.

Sucking in a deep breath, she tracked the edge of the door as it slid open before her. A familiar sweet scent greeted her nose as she stepped in. The first thing she noticed was the back of a black cloaked, tall Jedi that had brown hair chopped just before his shoulders. The chancellor was with Anakin, peering out at the bustling city below. A knobbly hand was placed delicately between the Jedi's shoulder blades, another pointing out a something beyond her view. Anakin turned to her the moment she stepped into the room. Warmth rose within his force presence and a lopsided grin curled his lips. The chancellor was slower to look around, granting her a much thinner smile. "Senator Amidala," The Chancellor spoke in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"My apologies if I interrupted a meeting Chancellor," she clasped her hands in front of her skirts and dipped her head. The large metal hair ornament on her head pushed it down further. "I can return later," she added, stepping back towards the door.

"No, I was just leaving," Anakin called over to her. Turning to Palpatine he uttered something in a hushed voice before turning and making his way toward the door. As he passed, the tips of his fingers brushed gently over the back of her hand. It took effort to prevent a smile from jumping to her lips. When the door clicked closed behind him, the chancellor's face lost its joviality. 

Clambering up a few steps, Palpatine slipped into the seat behind his desk. "What can I do for you Senetor?" He asked, clasping his hands together. 

Padmé strode towards him, her heart picking up pace. As she neared his desk, the air became charged with electricity. Standing directly in front of him, she crossed her arms over her chest. "Good morning Chancellor, I hope you slept well last night?"

Palpatine narrowed his eyes slightly, pressing his clasped knuckles against lips. "Indeed, and yourself?"

Padmé let out a low hum and began to circle around his desk, tracing her fingertips over the top of his furniture. "Not really. Anakin had a terrible nightmare last night." Pausing, she doubled back on her path and began to pace in front of the Chancellor. One hand rubbed absentmindedly at the top her her belly, the other still lingered on the backs of the seating. "It was awfully like when his mother died. The poor thing was torn apart by it." The chancellor's expression darkened. Narrowed eyes peered out at her from an unmoving skull. "Now my husband is a very powerful Jedi." Padmé kept her tone soft, speaking very slowly. Stopping her pacing she leaned down on the back of a chair. "I would hate to think that he could be corrupted by the fear of my death."

The chancellor jutted his jaw to one side. Placing his hands down on the table, a sly smile curved his lips. "My, my, what a clever girl you are." He tutted. Padmé tightened her grip around her growing irritation. The room temperature dropped. "I thought you would know better than to meddle in my affairs." His voice was icy cold. Internally, she shuddered.

Padmé pulled her brows together. "Who said anything about meddling?" She asked, placing a hand over her heart and batting her eyelids. 

Palpatine drew in a heavy breath and motioned for her to sit in front of him. Hesitantly she obliged, slipping into one of the seats angled towards him. "My dear, we have known each other for a very long time. We are both striving for the same goal." He cleared his throat, "peace." Padmé's heart twinged in her chest. Palpatine was a slippery man, but perhaps she had been too quick to jump the gun. Padmé murdered her parents at the tender age of three and, as a friend of the family, Palpatine has taken her hand and guided her through the darkside. Eventually she had become very adept in its applications, and although he taught through means most would consider unethical, she owed her capability to him. Padmé shouldn't have acted so rashly, charging in with no idea what her master's real intentions were. Didn't she at least owe him that? "I am trying to get him to indulge his darkest desires for you," he heavily emphasised the last word. 

Padmé screwed up her face. "For me?" Those words struck terror into her heart. Hours of being fried by lightning and thrown into walls all justified by those words: for you. The worst part was, she really believed him. The normal person might call her deluded, but in her mind she knew what her master had done was for her. Without the pain and anger she would have never been able to call upon the dark side as efficiently as she did now.

Leaning forwards onto his desk, she placed her head into her hands. Palpatine reached out and gently grasped at her wrist, pulling one of her hands into his own. The thin skin settled like a blanket over the back of her hand. "Yes. If he is also of the darkside, there is no need for you to hide who you really are around him." That comment caused something to tremble deep within her mind. The only person she really was herself around was Anakin. When she was with him, it was the only time she genuinely laughed. Or, was it all a front she hadn't even felt herself put up? "His love for you will make him seek out my power. I think he'd do anything to see you live past childbirth." Padmé's gut twisted. Blackmailing Anakin was the last thing she wanted to do, but it wouldn't be without advantages.

"You two could be together without having to sneak around all the time. There would be no more ducking under the Jedi scrutiny every waking moment of your lives," he continued. Padmé bit down on her lip. It was certainly very tempting. Perhaps it would even give them peace to raise their child without its father being dragged out to the front for months on end, but would Anakin every really be happy if he wasn't out saving lives? No, she didn't think he would be. It would be unfair of her to lure him away from what he loved most for her own selfish desires. It was frustrating to her, how he could meddle with her Sith behaviour without even trying. 

Dipping her head down, a weary sigh escaped her lips. "I'm so sorry master," her voice lifted a pitch. "I should have known just to trust you. You're the one with the plan," Her voice trembled a little, but the defences around her mind were wound so tight that an ache developed between her temples. If Palpatine was luring Anakin one way, she would just have to pull him in the opposite direction. Although she owed a lot to her master, she would give up anything to her husband for free. Even her life.

"It's quite alright," he mumbled, patting the back of her hand. "Anger and jealousy make us stronger." Padmé nodded, drawing her hand from his grasp and placing it back into her lap. Sniffling, he perked up slightly, "I do have a job for you." Padmé cocked a brow. "There is a particular senator that has grown too confident in our alliance. Before he leaves tonight, I want you to give him a real taste of the darkside." This jolted her attention. The only jobs he had been getting her to do for last few months was nothing more than pulling strings within the senate.

"It will be done," she dipped her head and pushed herself to stand. Turning away from him, she walked towards the door.

"Oh, one last thing Mrs Amidala," he called behind her. Padmé turned to look over her shoulder. "Do not try to get involved in any more of my affairs, otherwise I will be looking in to giving you more training." The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. The air around her went static. Pressure was building on her chest. With a simple nod, she scurried from the room. 

When the sun had begun to dip behind the skyline, she found herself within another Senator's office. Large, slitted blinds concealed what was left of the sunlight. Padmé had pressed herself into a corner of the dark room. The back of a chair was angled towards her and was seated in front of a large curving desk. Datapads were messily scattered all across it. Through the dust speckled gloom, she could see the odd protrusion from behind the chair. A huge fin curved over a long skull. Padmé pulled the large hood of her cloak down over her face. Sucking in a deep breath, she stepped out of the shadows and into the open space. "It's been a while, Senator Andulu," Padmé's voice was guttural and deep.

The senator let out a help of surprise and attempted to swivel around in his chair. With one hand, she gripped the top and stopped him from swinging around. Andulu went stiff. Scaly hands splayed out on the desk in front of him. "To what pleasure do I owe this visit?" his voice was scratchy and shrill.

Padmé leant on the back of the chair. It whined in protest. "It has come to my master's attention that you have been trying to dig up information on us. I hope you weren't planning to betray our trust?" She snarled, digging her nails into the seat's soft fabric. 

The senators surprise sprung through the force, but it was drowned out by his sudden terror. "No, of course not. I-,"  
Padmé cracked open her shields. The world burst to life around her. A static world started buzzing with life. Emotions drifted through the air like sweet perfume. People were scattered all over the senate building, with millions more outside the walls. Not wanting to waste any time, she lifted a hand over the senator's head and clenched it into a fist. The force followed her guidance. Andulu let out a whimper, lurching forwards and grasping at his chest. Blue scaly, skin was lit by the gleaming rays of moonlight. Beneath her force touch, she could feel his heart fitting. 

"Good," she purred, leaning down close to the side of his head. "Because if you were to betray us, it wouldn't be my wrath you would have to worry about. Compared to my master-," she gave his heart a tight squeeze, prompting a strained gasp from his lips, "-I have a gentle touch." With that she released him and pulled her shields back into position around her mind.

"It won't happen again," Andulu spoke through ragged breaths and a shaky voice.

Padmé let out a low chuckle. "For your sake, it better not."


	4. Torn

When Padmé finally arrived back at her apartment, Anakin was already there. Touching down the speeder onto the landing platform, she clambered off of it. With her feet on the ground for barely two seconds, he had already wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Oh Ani," she giggled, leaning into his embrace. The black robes he wore nearly consumed her. The bittersweet scent she loved dominated her senses. In the warmth of his arms, she felt the tension melting away from her. When he didn't speak for a few moments however, she knew something was wrong. Pulling away from him, she turned and grasped his arms. There was a forlorn pain that lingered in his eyes. In all truth, he looked like a kicked swamp monkey. "What's the matter?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.

Anakin let out a deep sigh. "It's the Jedi council," he hissed though gritted teeth. Padmé could feel darkness creeping around him, simply waiting to pounce. "They're traitors, and fools," he spat.

Glancing around at bustling city, she gripped one of his hands and led him into the darkness of their home. Guiding him to the couches, she sat down. Following her lead, he all but dropped like a rock onto it. The aroma of sweet tea drifted through the air. It lingered from the cup she had drank earlier that morning. Taking his hands in her own, she peered into his eyes. "What is going on?" She asked, her voice mild and sweet.

Anakin's hands squeezed tightly around her own. "Palpatine asked for me to represent him on the Jedi council, so I brought them his request." Taking in a shaky breath, he pulled his hands from hers and stood up. Pacing along the carpeted floor, his fury flurried around him. "They gave me a seat but denied me the rank of master." The venom in his voice made a cold shiver race down her spine. Turning to her, his face was twisted into a scowl, "it's completely unheard of... it's not fair!" His arms flailed alongside his temper. Padmé remained seated, only able to watch him from afar. "What's worse, they expect me to spy on the chancellor and bring them news of his dealings," Anakin's voice was loud enough to rattle her eardrums. Padmé couldn't withhold a gasp when his anger lashed out and shattered the glass table in front of her. With that, he stopped his pacing and went still by the large windows looking out onto the city. His chest was heaving.

Glancing between her husband and the shattered table, realisation dawned on her. It was Sidious. The sith had lodged himself much deeper in Anakin's mind that she had previously perceived. It was the darkside that was bringing him such pain and anguish. More than ever, she was certain she could not allow him to turn. It would destroy him. Pushing herself to her feet, she dusted off her dress and stalked towards him. Wading through the haze of darkness that whirled like a tornado around his mind, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face against his back. The darkness eased away. "I don't know why the Jedi are suspicious of Palpatine, he is a good man," Anakin's voice was a feint whisper in comparison to his earlier yelling. 

Padmé might have laughed at that statement if it had been any other situation. Squeezing him tighter, she let out a deep sigh. "What does Obi-Wan think of all this?" 

Anakin placed his hands over hers. "I don't think he likes it either, but he had to leave the system. Master Yoda too." Turning in her grasps, he used one arm to pull her closer. "I think the war will be finishing within the next few days," with her ear pressed against his chest, she could hear his voice rumbling from within. Fear sent a rush of goosebumps prickling over her skin. If that was true, then it was only a matter of time until Palpatine made his move. The prospect made her heart race. Finally there might be peace, but keeping Anakin away from Palpatine for the next few days was going to be her top priority. It had to be. Leaning into him, she tried to memorise the moment. That smell of his, the whooshing of his breath, the warmth of his hands on her arms. Them together, completely undivided.

"That's good," Padmé hummed beneath her breath, closing her eyes over. Anakin shifted, placing a hand over her stomach. The baby moved under his touch. "I think it'll be a boy." She commented, feeling its little light shimmering inside of her.

"Really?" Anakin's voice perked up a little. "I thought it would be a girl." 

"Do you want to bet on it?" She cocked a brow, sending him a playful smile. Anakin seemed hesitant, his lips were pressed together. Padmé couldn't wait to see the look on his face when she was right. During a late night meditation in his absence, she had felt her little boy reaching out to her with the force. It had melted her heart and completely threw the anger she was lamenting on. "The winner gets to name the baby," she narrowed her eyes at him.

A cocky smile curled his lips and her heart stuttered. "It's a bet," he replied. "So, I hope you are okay with the name Leia." The wrinkles around his eyes deepened. The name was very pretty. It was simple, but sweet.

Padmé jutted her jaw to one side. "I hope you're okay with the name Luke," she retorted. Anakin chuckled beneath his breath and pulled her in closer once more. The name had simply sprung to her mind in the heat of the moment. For the past few months she had been struggling to find the correct name. Luckily, it came to her when she needed it most.

"Luke or Leia," Anakin hummed, his emotions warming up. "Those are good names. I'd be happy with either."

*

As she predicted, it wasn't long until the real battle began. Only the next evening. A strange tension had been buzzing the in air all day. From the moment she woke up she had been checking in every shadow and around every corner. Most of her food had remained completely untouched. It felt as though a band was tightening around her chest. A band she hoped would snap soon.

After hours of anticipation, it finally struck. Padmé had been pondering over a bill she was typing up, her mind drifting elsewhere. The full, dark presence of her master had burst to life from above. It's tar like blackness burned furiously. Before she could process it, her master's presence was banging upon her walls and screeching to be let in. Cracking open her defences, his darkness rushed into her mind and transmitted only one message: bring Skywalker to me. 

Padmé opened her mind a little further, scouring the planet for her husband. Even from afar she could feel the conflict that was tearing him apart from within. The darkside was bearing down on him with a frightening force. Padmé needed to stop him from doing something he would regret before anything else. It didn't take her long to pinpoint his exact location. The Jedi temple. It would be incredibly difficult for her to reach him there, but she would have to persist. 

Pulling open a drawer in her desk, she pressed down hard on one of the corners and the whole bottom popped upwards. Reaching beneath the false, plastic bottom, she pulled out the long silvery handle of a lightsabre. It surface was made of the same material from her ship. It's metallic skin reflected her face almost perfectly. It felt right in her hands. Relief washed over her. Tucking the weapon into her sleeve, she rose to her feet so quickly her chair toppled backwards. Breaking out into a sprint, she tore through the halls of the senate. Closing off her mind once more, she kept her head down and ran. Part of her was concerned that the movement would hurt her child, but the rest of her knew she didn't have time to think about it.

Travelling by speeder across the tangerine sky, it took her a matter of minutes to fly down to the Jedi temple. Clambering off her vehicle, she strode towards the huge marble arches and stopped before the guards. They automatically lowered their yellow sabres into an x shape, blocking her entry to the ginormous temple. "State your business," one of them commanded.

Padmé clenched her jaw. "I am Senator Amidala, representative of Naboo. I bring news of great urgency to the Jedi masters." The guards glanced to each other, before lifting their weapons. One of the many perks of being a well known senator was the respect it earned from people you didn't even know. Slipping passed them, she focused on the spot she had felt Anakin before. It felt like peering through tightly wound fabric, but eventually her dulled senses picked up a familiar trace of light side energy. 

There were many winding halls and marble staircases, but she trusted in the force to guide her to him. Before she knew it, she was standing at the entrance of what appeared to be a grand meeting room. No, it wasn't just any meeting room. It was a place she had been called to before. The place where the Jedi council convened. A walkway extended into a circular platform with several single seats of all different sizes curved around it. Orange and red light poured in the tall windows, highlighting a shadowy figure sitting hunched in a chair. Head snapping up towards her, his disbelief echoed through the force. "Padmé? How did you find- how did you get in the temple?" He rose to his feet, the words coming out in a rushed slur. Padmé ran to him, grasping his face in her hands. Anakin's eyes widened, he wrapped his gloved hand softly around one of her wrists. "What's wrong? You're trembling." His eyes flicked from her face to her arms. 

Padmé sucked in a breath, she hadn't realised she was shaking. In fact, her heart was pounding so fast that she felt it jostling her whole body. Noticing the wet tear track that glistened on his cheek, anger rose within her. Palpatine had done this to him and she couldn't help but feel partially guilty. Running her thumb down the wet streak, she focused her eyes on his steely blue gaze. The confusion and fear he felt was muddling with her own emotions. Padmé could not deliver him to Sidious, but she had a feeling he would go without her leading the way. The sith had his hooks too deep into Anakin. It wasn't fair to let him suffer any longer. "Ani, the dreams of my death aren't real," she cursed how her voice trembled. Heat blushed her eyes and her stare grew wobbly. Anakin's brow creased. "I'm not going to die. Palpatine was making you see those visions."

In his confusion, Anakin's defences were momentarily lowered. That was all she needed. Padmé's dark presence shot out from behind her mental walls like a serpent striking. The Jedi rocked backwards, but it was too late. Flooding his mind, she knocked him unconscious. Falling like a tonne of bricks, he was on a collision course with the floor. Padmé reached her hand out, catching his limp body before it landed. Anakin's head dropped forwards, his hair fell in front of his eyes. Lifting his body into the air, she floated him across the room and propped him up in one of the corners by the door. The sight of his lifeless body made her gut twist. More tears puddled in her eyes. When he awoke, there was no doubt he would quickly figure out who she really was. A queasiness gripped at her stomach. Squeezing her eyes shut, she felt the terror and anguish that was flooding her system. With a perfection only obtained through practice, she tucked her emotions deep behind the barriers of her mind. They could be useful to her later. Clenching her hand into a fist, she shut herself from the force once more.

Reaching up to her neck, her finger coiled around a small string that looped around her neck. With a heavy sigh, she pulled it over her ears. Dangling from it's length was a rectangular wooden pendant. Running a thumb over the deep carvings, she took in a deep breath. Walking to Anakin, she crouched by his side, placed the necklace into his open palm, curled his fingers around it and rose to her feet. After he woke up, she had no doubt he would feel nothing but rage for her. It didn’t feel right to keep the necklace. Hopefully he could give it to someone new in the future. Someone who wouldn't lie to him every single day. Someone who could calm his rage. Someone who deserved him. Perhaps a pacifist? Those thoughts were agonising, but she knew it was a long time coming. It should have been obvious she couldn't lie to him forever. There was nobody to blame but herself. With a sigh, she set out once more. It was risky to use the darkside in a temple filled with jedi. No doubt one would be on their way to investigate soon. Shouts from down the corridor confirmed her prediction. Padmé needed to keep on moving.


	5. To The Window

When Padmé finally reached Palpatine's office, her heart leapt into her mouth. Her master was lying on his back, arms raised in defence as Mace Windu's purple blade pointed at his neck. Both men's heads turned to face her. The smoggy city air blew in from the shattered window beside them. "Senator Amidala?" Windu's face contorted in confusion. Turning his attention back to the sith he had pinned beneath him, his scowl deepened. "Go and find enforcement droids. The chancellor is a very dangerous Sith Lord." Palpatine's gaze rested on her before flicking to the door. When his eyes returned to her, they narrowed. 

Padmé felt the darkness's intense heat rising up within her. Cracking open her mind, she stalked toward them. "I know," she replied, her voice devoid of any emotion. With a flick of her wrist, her lightsaber landed in her palm. Windu turned to her with with wide eyes, but before he could react she whipped her blade around at a blinding speed. The Jedi master's head was sliced clean from his shoulders, hitting the floor with a thwack. The body crumpled a second later. Padmé's crimson blade hummed in the air. It's noise roused tickles of excitement in her chest. It had been far too long since she wielded it. Breathless after running through the building, a frown darkened her face. There was no doubt she was out of practice, but it didn't help she was carrying around another person. 

Deactivating her blade, she watched as the crimson glow sunk back into its hilt. Tucking the weapon back into her sleeve, she offered a hand to Palpatine. The sith grasped her wrist, using it to tug himself up. "Where is he?" Sidious hissed beneath his breath. Padmé's eyes nearly bulged from her skull when she took a closer look at her master's face. The flesh had melted and the very bone of his skull remoulded into something inhuman. 

Blinking hard she collected herself. "He wouldn't come," she answered blankly. Although her defences were open enough to allow some of her dark energy to slip out, her master wouldn't be able to sense her lie. There was a sweet spot for deception that had taken her years of practice and much pain to master. "I got the feeling you were in trouble so I came rushing back to find you," she informed him. The several Jedi bodied scattered across the room told her he had put up a very good fight. Only Windu had been able to corner him. 

Palpatine hissed beneath his breath and ran his fingers over his deformed, swollen face. "Fine, we will progress all the same." He tutted and strode towards his desk. Plucking a comm unit from the table, he raised it to his mouth. A small holo of a clone trooper appeared on top of the device. Padmé followed him up the steps, her posture stick straight. "Execute order sixty-six," The sith spat. The clone gave an affirmative before vanishing into the air. Palpatine threw the communicator back onto his desk. The horrid blackness that was his presence twisted and thrashed around her. Clenching her fists tight, she tried to pull her thoughts away from the way the walls were closing in. Panic fried her nerves and sent her heartbeat racing. Palpatine had not been this angry in a very long time.

With a grumble he walked to the tall mirror tucked away in the corner of the room. Glancing at his reflection, his top lip curled upwards. "What is order sixty-six, master?" She asked him, her voice stern but passive. Turning back to her, his yellow eyes burned into her own.

"An order to execute all the Jedi for treason against the republic," Palpatine snapped, before returning to and easing himself into one of the arching couches that dominated his office. 

Padmé's heart skipped a beat. Anakin was still unconscious a the temple. What a fool she was, to leave him so defenceless. Mentally slapping herself, she thought of all the Jedi in the building around him. It would be nearly impossible for him not to awaken before the rest of them were killed. Not to mention, the council room was buried deep within the temple's heart. The troopers would have hoards of opposition before they reached him. "Why are you killing off the Jedi?" She asked, her voice as steady as ever.

"Aren't you supposed to be intelligent?" Sidious snapped at her. Padmé's face remained neutral as she let the words wash over her. "Their fall is the key to my success. Without the Jedi there will be no one to oppose us. Peace will reign once more." It made sense. It made perfect sense. As a sith, she should want the Jedi roasted on a spit as well. Yet the thought of their extinction did not settle well within her chest.

Padmé's gut twisted. "Even the Jedi younglings?" Her voice became slightly higher.

"Especially the Jedi younglings," he snapped.

Padmé took a few cautious steps towards her master. "But they are only children, what harm could the-" she was cut of by a look of seething rage from her master.

"They are the Jedi of the future. In time they will grow to oppose us as well." Sidious pushed himself to his feet and took several wide strides towards her. Padmé's heartbeat began pulsing faster. The sith stopped to leer over her. "I am beginning to question your valuableness," he sneered. The familiar sound of lightning crackled through the air. Every muscle in her body went tense. Sidious peered into her eyes for a moment. The repugnant shade of yellow scalded her very soul. "You can't fight Jedi in you current state." His voice went dangerously soft. Takin a step back, his eyes flicked down to her belly. "I still cannot believe you allowed a Jedi to defile you in such a way." Wrinkles formed on his nose. Goosebumps prickled over her skin. "I suppose you will still be able to swat flies?" His venomous tone left no room for argument.

"Of course, master," she dipped her head slightly. It took all her might to suppress the tremors that wanted to wrack her body. The force was writhing around them, leaking inky darkness.

Turning away from her, he strode towards his desk and planted his hands on its flat surface. "Travel to Mustafar. The separatist leaders will be waiting for you. I want them all dead."

"They will never see the sunrise on another planet," Padmé replied stonily. Every inch of her wanted away from Sidious's scrutiny. The sooner she fled his temper, the better.

"Destroy the security footage of my fight with the Jedi, but leave Windu cornering me in the window. It could be most useful for my campaign," he grumbled. With dip of her head, she turned and walked from the room. The tenseness slipped from her shoulders the moment she escaped her master's line of sight. Padmé would follow his orders and erase the footage, but she would keep a copy for herself. She had a feeling it would prove to be most useful.

*

When Anakin awoke, a groggy disorientation fogged his mind. Sharp tendrils of panic and grief were rocking the normally glassy surface of the force. "Anakin!" Obi-wan's voice called out to him. Pulling his wits about him, he snapped his eyes open. With his head tilted at an awkward angle, a deep ache had developed in his neck. Craning his head up with a wince, he took in the scene around him. Obi-wan was crouched in front of him, with master Yoda standing by his side. Blinding streams of sunlight burned his eyes. "Who did this to you?" Obi-wan asked, worry filled eyes focused on Anakin's face. A messy haze prevented him from sorting through the short snippets he remembered.

Anakin frowned, lifting a hand to rub at his face. A hard object shifted between his fingers. Lifting it closer to his face, he uncurled his hand. A small, carved wooden pendent connected to a worn string was lying in his palm. It all came flooding back to him in a crushing tidal wave of disbelief. "Padmé," his voice was hardly audible.

Obi-wan and Yoda traded an alarmed look. "Senator Amidala?" Obi-Wan's voice hitched. 

Anakin pushed himself to his feet, several of his bones cracked from the motion. The stiffness in his muscles slowly ebbed away. Obi-Wan stood up also, a few strands of his blonde hair falling in front of his eyes. The man looked dishevelled, a few scorch marks peppered his sandy clothing and there deep bags beneath his reddened eyes. It made Anakin's senses sharpen. The force felt like a storming sea around them, and there were many stricken by grief. Something was very wrong. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. "Yes, but I don't really understand it," he murmured, clenching the wooden pendent in his hand. "I was here, waiting for Master Windu to return from facing Palpatine," he moved over to the small seat he had been sitting in the night before. The tall windows showed lines of speeders zooming passed.

"Chancellor Palpatine?" Obi-Wan asked, his brows pulling together.

"Yes, he is the sith master we are looking for." Anakin replied, the sharp sting of betrayal pinging in his mind.

"Oh, my," Obi-Wan reached a hand to his face and began to absent-mindedly stroke his beard.

Turning slowly towards the huge open doors of the council room, he pointed a gloved hand. "The senator came running towards me." Taking a few steps towards the open door, he stood in the same place he had when she had gripped him into a hug. "I remember her being terrified, but she wouldn't tell me why." A cold chill raced down his spine as fury erupted within him. "She told me the chancellor had been toying with my mind, making me see a terrible future that wasn't going to pass," he admitted through gritted teeth. Obi-Wan and Yoda were standing beside him, their eyes fixed on the spot where she had been standing. Anakin felt fear tug at his attention. "Darkness burst out from her mind. It struck me down before I had the chance to react." Taking in a deep breath, he shoved the snippet into the folds of his tunic.

"Concerning, this is," Yoda grumbled, scratching at his chin. "Considering especially, her close connection with the Chancellor." Those words hollowed Anakin's very soul. It couldn't be. There was no way she was in league with the sith. Padmé wasn't evil. Then again, how else would she know that's his dreams were put there by the sith? Slapping the very thought from his mind, he knew he needed to have faith in her.

"What happened here?" Anakin gestured to the temple around him. The high-strung buzzing of the force reminded him an awful lot of a battlefield after the battle. Not just that, the galaxy had a strange emptiness to it. As though hundreds of powerful lights had been snuffed from existence. Yoda's gaze fell to the floor and Obi-wan let out a weary sigh.

"Attack, the clones did," the small, green master explained, before turning and hobbling to the open doors. Anakin and Obi-Wan followed closely at his heels. "Slain, many Jedi were." Anakin felt shock reverberating through him. Why would the clones just attack? They had fought side by side with the Jedi for years. Part of him hoped this was all one more nightmare the chancellor had slipped into his mind. That he would awaken with Padmé by his side at any moment.

As they walked through the halls of the Jedi, he could feel his rage slowly growing. The floors were littered with scorch marks. Padawn children cried over a master's dead body. Jedi younglings were huddled behind chairs, their hands clutching at they heads. Anakin saw an older Jedi holding the body of a twi-leki padawn learner close to his chest. Some Jedi were comforting children, stroking their back or telling them to be strong. Clone bodies, torn apart by sabres were scattered in every corner of every room. By the time they reached the archives, Anakin was livid. The Jedi order wasn't perfect, but it didn't deserve such a terrible fate. 

Huge rectangular columns rose from the marble floors. Shelves upon shelves were lit with the blue glow of knowledge. Some of the statues had crumbled, their faces blackened and burned. Tables and chairs were lying in charred chunks all across the floor. Datapads were crushed and scattered over the archives like leaves around the base of a dying tree. Manoeuvring through the mess, Obi-Wan pulled out a shelf of a nearby column and began to tamper with the small cube it produced. Anakin headed straight to the desks with impossibly large computers. With his hands flying over the surface, his heart began to pound within his chest. Yoda followed him over, jumping up onto the table and peering down at the console. "I'm using the temple’s security systems to hack into the surveillance footage from the senate building," he explained, his hands moving faster.

Obi-Wan joined them, crossing his arms over his chest. "I've given out a warning signal to stop any Jedi from returning to the temple. We should get those of us left alive into hiding for the time being." 

"Start on that immediately, we should," Yoda hummed in agreement.

"There is some data that's been scrubbed from the archives," Anakin grumbled, narrowing his eyes. With a few flicks of his fingers, a holo image wavered into existence just above the circular screen. Windu had the Sith Lord backed into the corner of a window. They were arguing back and forth. "This is the footage directly after the chunk that was missing," Anakin explained to the two masters. The audio crackled to life. The master's bickered for a few tense moments. 

Anakin's breath caught in the throat when Padmé walked into the holo. The burgundy dress he remembered her wearing the night before trailed along the ground. Anakin's breath became shaky, his heart pounding in his ears. There was a few more words said. In a twirl of maroon fabric, a lightsaber appeared from her sleeve as she gracefully struck out at the stunned Master Windu. The Jedi's head fell from his body not long before it collapsed to the floor. Anakin lurched forwards, his grip on the table tightening. "Oh dear," Obi-wan mumbled, his voice distant. So she had been lying to him for years? Was her true alignment with the sith all along? Anakin felt his gut sink to the floor as cold shock gripped him tight. Padmé peered at her blade for a moment. It was a look he knew well. The look of a warrior that longed for battle. Returning her weapon to her sleeve she helped the chancellor from the floor.

"Most unexpected, this is," Yoda's voice cracked. They watched the rest of the holo in silence. The sith ordered the execution of the Jedi and Padmé very briefly defended the children. Palpatine knocked away her protest and continually berated her. Making no more attempts to help the Jedi, she simply stood tall and unfazed by the chancellor's angry words. It was then that the Sith gave her orders to complete, and she strode from the room. A blinding rage descended upon him. Anakin let out a vicious snarl, punching a fist through the screen of the holo projector.

"Anakin!" Obi-wan's voice held a note of warning. Anakin took a few steps back from the Jedi masters, his hands clenched into fists by his side.

"She betrayed us!" He yelled, his hand pointing to the shattered screen. For all the anger that burned inside of him, there was an even deeper pool of devastation. Betrayal like he had never felt before coursed through his veins. Yoda watch him with saddened eyes, the grip on his walking stick tightened.

Obi-Wan's put his hands out in front of him and took a few cautious steps towards his former apprentice. "Anakin, are you the father?" Anakin went still, his eyes dropping to the floor. Obi-Wan let out a whimper, turning away from him and pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers. "There are rules for a reason," his voice was raised, taking Anakin off guard. It wasn't often Obi-wan was angry enough to shout. Disappointment pooled out of him in waves, but it wasn't just because of his former apprentice. It was aimed predominantly at himself.

"The Jedi rules are too strict," Anakin snapped, throwing his hands into the air. "I loved her too much not to follow my heart. Padmé makes me feel complete in a way I could never explain!" His voice strained.

Obi-Wan whirled around, his mouth opened to shout. "A conversation for another time, this is," Yoda's softer voice cut through their quarrelling. Jumping down from the table, he limped towards the pair. "Go to Mustafar, you will," he pointed a crooked finger towards Anakin. "Stop the Senator, you must." Anakin's blood boiled. Padmé had a lot to answer for. Turning to Obi-Wan, he continued, "help the Jedi hide, our priority is."


	6. Strings

Padmé sat in one of the many chairs that surrounded a long conference table. The large room had big arching windows that peered out across a red, churning landscape. Black heaps of charred earth supported huge machines that dipped in and out of the magma. In the corner of her vision she could see her silvery ship waiting patiently on the landing platform and she itched to return to it.

The black, flowing robes she wore made the heat almost unbearable. Only the cooling touch of darkside on her mind her eased her discomfort. All around the floor lay the mutilated bodies of the tradecraft federation leaders. In her hand, she gripped a circular projector that displayed an image of her master. The hood of his cloak was pulled down over his face and his hands were clasped together in front of his stomach. Only the distinctive curve of his nose could be seen poking out from underneath his dark apparel. "It is done," he hummed. Padmé felt relief flood her system. "I have been titled emperor." 

"So we can finally begin our reconstruction of the senate?" She asked, leaning forwards.

"Indeed," his voice rattled and wheezed. "I trust you have disposed of the separatists?"

"Yes, master," she replied. "I have been waiting anxiously for your call." Indeed, it had been several hours of pacing and meditating. The thrill that buzzed in her veins was itching to be let loose once again. Slaying the scum at her feet had hardly been a challenge. Now, she longed to find larger prey. A burst of anger nearby caught her attention. A lone ship was steadily lowering to the ground. 

"Return to Couresant. I have need of you here." Palpatine informed her, twisting his palms together. Within seconds of it landing, a distant figure sprung from the hull. Black robes flared out behind him as he pelted towards the building. 

Padmé rose to her feet. A burst of panic brought her heart rate dangerously high. "Master, Anakin is here!" she spoke in a frenzied shout.

"My, my," her master sighed. "Well then, I do suggest you start running."

Padmé flicked her eyes to her master's hologram. Still standing there, he let out a low chuckle. Padmé hissed through her teeth and crushed the projector in one hand. Of course, it made sense why her master had kept her on Mustafar long after her mission was completed. If Sidious wanted to cleanse the temple, Anakin couldn't be there to defend it. The troopers would never be able to best him. She was the perfect bait.

Scanning the window, her blood ran cold when she realised he was nowhere to be seen. That burning light of his had morphed into a volatile thunderstorm and was bearing down on her fast. Throwing the communicator to the floor, she barged through an open doorway and into the control room of the mining facility. Hundreds of switches flickered and blipped on the panels lining the room. There was a glass doorway that lead out onto an overseer's balcony. Taking in a sharp breath, she ran towards it and flung it open. Unbearably thick air slammed into her, burning her skin.

Padmé had only gotten one foot out the door and onto the mesh platform when she felt the force wrapping around her body. No matter how she struggled, it held her perfectly still. Stiffly lifting her head to look over her shoulder, her heart seized in her chest. Anakin stood in the doorway to the control room, a trembling hand held out towards her. There was a scowl etched into his features so menacing that it sent shocks of cold running across her skin. "You're a liar, a traitor!" He roared, his temper spinning wildly out of control. Those words hit her like a slap to the face. 

Anakin's force grip began to tug her towards him. Padmé dug her heels into the ground and strained against the hold. "It's in the name of peace, Anakin. People would never relinquish their aggressions unless they are forced to do so," she hissed back, calling on the darkside. The lightsaber clipped to her belt began to wiggle upwards. "It's no different from the hundreds of war crimes you Jedi have committed." Padmé let out a wheezing grunt, her feet began slipping towards him.

"The Jedi serve the people. Protect them. The sith only care for themselves." Anakin roared back. An ugly sneer warped his features. "You are deluded. There will always be a rebellion against dictatorship. Your little plot will never work."

"I wouldn't expect a brute like you to understand," she snapped back. Rage of her own sizzled in her chest. How could he ever understand the meaning of peace when all he knew was the battlefield? Anakin's temper rattled like a pot boiling over.

Finally her lightsaber sprung from her belt. With some focus, she ignited it and sent it sailing through the air in a spinning arc towards him. Anakin ducked out its path, releasing his grasp on her. The scarlet blade tore across the control panel and curved back around to her, extinguishing itself in the process. The weapon landed back in her palm, allowing her to take a few steps backwards onto the balcony and break out into a sprint. It wasn't long until thundering steps that rattled the rickety metal flooring were chasing after her. Loud, droning alarms blared. Red lights pinned to the walls began flashing. Padmé could feel him gaining on her at a terrifying speed. 

Ahead of her, the walkway took a sharp turn. A waist height, crisscrossed fence cradled the bend. Large chunks of machinery were falling from the cliff face, that the walkway hugged, towards the boiling rivers below. The magma curved around blackened banks and flowed past the landing platform where her glorious ship awaited. 

Before she could make it to the fencing, he caught up. Twirling on her heels, she ignited her crimson blade and slashed it towards him. Anakin caught it and the pair began to viciously trade blows. Padmé had always wondered what it would be like to face him head on in lightsaber combat. This was never what she had imagined.

Ducking below a few strikes, she was forced to retreat backwards. Anakin's sheer strength was terrifying. Every time their blades connected it felt as though her bones were jolted inside of her. Only the darkside kept her arms steady as she fended him off. With a few more steps, she reached the fence. Thrusting her hand out and manoeuvring the force, she sent a wave of power crashing towards him. It threw him off balance, causing him to stagger backwards. Padmé jumped onto of the fence and flipped back over her feet.

The world spun around her, but within seconds she landed on one of the tall spires that was falling down towards the magma below. The long plat of her hair slapped against her back. The sharp decent made her stomach flip. The boiling river below was approaching with a frightening speed. Padmé's thoughts turned to her child. This needed to end. 

A thud behind her told her Anakin was hot on her tail. Batting away one of his strikes, she ran up the length of the spire. The metal groaned as the bottom of the tower became submerged in the river. Spotting a large transport platform that hovered over the magma, she leapt and used her power to propel herself forwards. Landing clean on the platform, she turned to watch as the spire was submerged in molten magma. Padmé's heart leapt into her mouth. Anakin jumped from the tower just in time and landed on a small hover droid.

The tiny droid he stood on floated increasingly closer to her transport. Padmé's chest was heaving and a dull ache throbbed within her muscles. A slick sheen of sweat coated her skin. The heat from below roasted her alive. Anakin's tousled hair was blown from his face as he slowly drew nearer. Padmé stepped back towards the end of her platform, her crimson blade still angled towards him. The landing pad was close by, just around the next bend. The darkside thrummed within her as she urged her transport to move faster. "Why did you knock me out Padmé?" Anakin shouted, grasping her attention. The way he spat her name from his mouth like poison twisted her heart, but she deserved it. All of his anger and pain was her fault.

"To get you out of the way," Padmé felt the lie slip easily from her tongue, though she wished it wouldn't. "The clones could never vanquish the temple if you were defending it." Anakin's anger bore down on her. That brilliant white light of his was marbled with darkness. What was she doing? This was exactly what she didn't want to happen. It was clear her presence around him was toxic. Without her, he never would have felt the tug of the darkside. Palpatine would never have been able to manipulate him so easily.

"Stop lying to me!" He cried, bearing his teeth like a rabid animal. "You didn't know Palpatine wanted to destroy the Jedi until after you took me down." Padmé's blood ran cold. How could he possibly know that? How much did he know? How could she possibly answer without telling him the truth? Anakin took her silence as defiance. "I saw the security holos of your talk with your master," he sneered. "How long have you been in league with him?" Padmé could sense there was something he was scared to find out. Something he could bring himself to say.

Padmé narrowed her eyes. "Ask me what you really want to know."

Anakin clenched his jaw. "W-was any of it real?" He was shouting so loud that his voice was tearing.

Yes, oh gosh yes. It had been so real it hurt. Loving him hadn't been planned, but was the greatest decision of her life. Padmé found herself head over heels before she'd realised what hit her. Before him, any relationship she had was for her own gain. For her master's gain. Before him, she hadn't known what love really was. By choosing to get so close, she had risked everything. Sidious has berated her for weeks after he discovered their marriage, not that it phased her at all. "No. I was repulsed by the idea of us together, but my master gave me no choice. Palpatine assured me the pain would be beneficial in the long run," she snapped. Hurt leaked out from within his walls. Guilt churned in her stomach, but it had to be done. If Anakin was to see her as completely evil, he could remain true to the light side and dogmatic Jedi ways. It would be easier for him to move on if he despised her every breath anyway. Most importantly, it meant her master could never use her to manipulate him again. "You were a great pawn," the aggression in her voice took even her by surprise. As they rounded a bend, the landing platform came into view. "You couldn't help but spill all the Jedi secrets we needed. It's pitiful really." It should have scared her how easily she could speak such hateful words, but the evil within was too lively to care. Once again the darkness tightened its grip around him, alarming her. "Don't you think it's convenient that I am still on Mustafar when I could already be back on Couresant?" She asked, throwing her arms into the air. 

Anakin's expression shifted into confusion. "What?" he snapped. Despite the anger thrashing around in him like a wounded beast, his body had gone unnaturally still.

"Like I said, we needed you out of the way," she reiterated, shifting her grip on her weapon. They were nearly directly below the platform. "I have no doubt the clones are pillaging your precious temple as we speak."

With a bark of rage, he lunged forwards and jumped towards her. At the same time Padmé leapt from the platform onto the gravel banks nearby. Not looking back, she scrambled up its crumbling surface and jumped up onto the large, circular landing pad. There was a loud crunch behind her. Breaking into a sprint, she ran towards her nabian spacecraft. Anakin's smaller ship was resting beside her own. R2D2 was on the floor, milling around the wing and repairing some light damage with tiny little mechanical arms. Padmé allowed all her rage and torment free. The darkside flared to life around her. Reaching her hand out, she plucked his ship from the ground. Just as Anakin jumped up onto the edge of the platform, she launched his ship towards him, forcing him to dive back down onto the river bank below.

Focusing in front of her, she used the force to lower the ship's ramp. By the time she reached it, it was already halfway to the floor. Leaping into the air, she propelled herself into the ship and raced over to the controls. Her hands flew around in a frantic panic. The ship burst to life and began to ascend into the air. Soon enough, she was clear of the landing pad and soaring up into the atmosphere. Anakin's violent light faded behind her. 

The viewport became streaked with blue as she jumped into hyperspace. Collapsing back into her seat, her heartbeat began to settle. The memory of Anakin's rage twisted features haunted her mind. It was certain, he hated her now. Pressure built behind her eyes. It was selfish of her to get involved with him in the first place. Tears made her vision of hyperspace waver. None of this would have happened if she had utilised more self control. The worst part was, it had been worth it. Even if their time together had been sparse because of the war, what little they did have was precious. Those memories would stay close to her heart forever and no-one could take that from her. Not even her master. Tears began streaming down her cheeks. Brushing them from her eyes, she tried to hold in the grief that swamped her. It was useless. Before long, she was sobbing into her hands and curled over her stomach. If only things hadn't turned out quite so tragic.


	7. Cast Aside

When Anakin watched Padmé's ship slipping off into the atmosphere, he let out a roar of fury. Behind him, his own ship sunk deep into the molten magma. R2 chirped cautiously as it rolled closer to him. Anakin's anger boiled hotter than the red rivers flowing across Mustafar's barren surface. It had been nothing but lies. All the sweet promises they used to utter to one another under the cover of darkness. Fake. With his breath still coming out in harsh huffs, he lowered himself to the metallic floor. The heat was overwhelming. The ash filled air nipped at his eyes and burned in his nose. The darkness within her had been disturbing, but at least it was nothing compared to the black abomination of the chancellor. 

Anakin couldn't believe it. How easily he'd fallen into her web of lies. Resting his arms on his knees, he pressed his face into his hands. The words she spoke were still rattling around in his mind. A brute. Pathetic. A pawn. Anakin hissed out a muffled scream between his teeth. Padmé played him like a fiddle and then had the audacity to lie to his face about knocking him out. It made him wonder how much of it was true. When they were together, he'd felt her love for him as if it were his own. Concealing emotions was one thing, but to create them was another. Then again, the words she had attacked him with could only come from the mouth of someone who really hated him. No matter what he did or how hard he pushed, he couldn't see what she was feeling. The whole time they were fighting it had been like banging against a solid wall. A solid, unforgiving wall. 

As he sat there, his anger began to melt away into misery. All that fighting had been nothing but a ploy to keep him away from the temple. Even when he knew her game, she could still play him. It had shocked him, the way she moved like a puppet with no strings. Although it had hardly been a fight. All she did was run from him. Anakin felt guilt stirring within him. Whilst he was so preoccupied with getting to her, he had neglected to think of the baby. As far as he knew, Padmé probably thought of it as just a burden to bear from her time spent deceiving him. That was not the case for him. That child was the only positive thing that had come of their fake love. A strange fear shook him to his core. Anakin had no idea what he would have done had he reached her. 

Hot tears burned in his eyes. Padmé wasn't even there and she was still tormenting him. A few tears dribbled down his cheeks. Clenching his teeth, he turned his head up to the grey sky. When he found her again, and he would, he was going to make her tell him the truth. Face to face, not over clashing lightsabers. The truth might pain him more, but at least it would put an end to her lies. 

Wiping his face with his glove, he turned to R2. The droid had been patiently sitting by his side the whole time. Anakin supposed he should be thankful that she hadn't also flung the asromech into the river as well. "Can you give me the cross-system communicator please?" He asked. The droid beeped an affirmative. A small flap on his white casing collapsed inwards and spewed out a cylindrical disk. Picking up the disk, he lifted it to hover in front of his face and he pressed down on the small activation panel. After a moment or two it let out a beep.

"Hello Anakin," Obi-wan greeted him, the sound of blaster-fire echoed out of the device.

"I was calling to warn you that the temple is going to be attacked again, but I'm sensing you already know that," Anakin commented, folding his legs beneath him. 

"How ever could you tell?" Obi-wan retorted. The hum of a lightsabre vibrated the speaker. In the background, Yoda yelled something indecipherable to him. "What of Senator Amidala? I trust you didn't kill her." 

Anakin clenched his jaw. It stirred pain inside his chest, but he brushed it aside. Obi-Wan didn't know what he was talking about. "She got away," Anakin noted the spark of anger that flickered to life within him. "And, she threw my ship into magma." It was quite an impressive feat. Perhaps she had even more dark side ability than he thought. It just showed how little he really knew about the woman he had called a wife.

"Well that's not very good," Obi-Wan hummed. "Stay there, we'll get to you as soon as we can. We've nearly finished evacuating the temple." Anakin had to stop himself from commenting that he couldn't leave even if he wanted to. 

*

Padmé kept her head high when she strode into the chancellor's office. The normal sweet smell was replaced by the lingering scent of burned flesh. The darkness was only fended off by the bright city lights pooling in the windows. The shattered one still allowed a frigid breeze to enter the room. Sitting behind his desk, Palpatine was pressing his clasped hands against his forehead. "Master?" She called to him

"Padmé, come and sit." Sidious's voice was sharp and unforgiving. The Sith raised his head. Yellow eyes gleamed in the darkness.

Padmé crept towards him. Carefully, she lowered herself onto the edge of the centre seat facing him. The light illuminated his protruding brow bone. "I'm impressed you managed to escape from Skywalker," a high pitch buzz accompanied his every word. Padmé's heart jolted in alarm. Coming from him, that could only mean one thing: she wasn't supposed to. Keeping her jaw clenched shut, she could feel her master’s darkness stroking against her defences. "You should know, it was never about peace," he informed her.

"What?" Padmé's voice shook.

"The sith fighting for peace? Ridiculous," he spoke in a guttural snarl. "All we strive for is domination." Padmé's heart sunk in her chest. Even if her master's intentions weren't always pure, she had always believed him when he said he wanted the war to end. "You've lost me an apprentice," his voice dipped to an eerie drone. A cold queasiness tightened around her stomach. "All you can do now, is give me his child." Padmé staggered to her feet and backed away from him.

"No..." she uttered, shaking her head. 

"I wasn't asking," Sidious sneered. The emperor moved at a frightening speed, flipping over the table and landing before her. "Give me your wrists." Padmé thought of running, but she knew she wouldn't make it to the door before he electrified her to a charred corpse. There was no way she could best him in a lightsaber fight either. If she wanted to keep her child alive, there was only one thing she could do. Offering her wrists to him, she winced as he clasped cold cuffs around them. Immediately her connection to the force was severed. It was worse than having a bag thrown over her head. It even threw off her balance. "Guards!" Palpatine called. The familiar noise of clunking armour filled the room. Within moments, there were several troopers surrounding her, their weapons aimed and ready to fire. "Sedate her and get the medical droids to use a labour enduser."

Padmé's eyes flew wide. "You can't, it's too early. They could die!" She argued. Panic rose like a sharp knife within her throat. A trooper lunged at her, pressing something cold against her neck. There was a sharp sting. Padmé recoiled from the him, but it was too late. The last thing she saw before unconsciousness claimed her was the wicked smile twisting her master's features.

*

Padmé awoke to a sharp pain in her lower abdomen. It made her gasp awake. The pain wasn't too intense, but it was strong enough to make her hiss through her teeth. Pushing herself up to sit, she immediately recognised where she was. Normally she saw it from a different perspective. All the courasanti holding cells looked the same. A tiny metal room with a shelf that stuck out from the wall opposite the door. Padmé blinked against the harsh white light from above. The pain she felt slowly subsided.

Placing a palm over her stomach, panic rose within her. If the twins wanted any chance at a future, they couldn't be born in the Emperor's prison. Takin in deep breaths, she swung her legs over the edge of the platform. A pair of tight cuffs were clamped around her wrists. The world was dull around her. The comforting weight of her lightsaber hanging from her belt was gone. Padmé reached up to the looping bun portion of her braid. Something hard brushed against her finger tips. Pinching it, she pulled a long, metal pin from her hair. A wave of triumph washed over her. The cuffs on her wrist had no lock, but that wasn't an issue. The tip of the pin was sharp, sharp enough for her to slot it through a small gap on the side of one of her cuffs. After a short while of slick manoeuvring, the chains popped open and the world lit up. Placing them gently on the bench bending her, she moved closer to the door.

On the other side she could feel the presence of two guards. Cracking her fingers, she placed on hand on the wall and the other on her stomach. Letting out a pained wheeze, she doubled over herself. "Guards!" She called out. "Guards, please help me. I think something is wrong!" 

"Sorry, Senator," a man responded, looking through the small slitted window. "We are on strict orders not to let you out from this cell."

"Please," she cried, her voice trembling. "I think my baby is going to die!"

One of the guards turned and commanded the other to find a medical droid. Much to Padmé's delight, the door swung open and the guard poked his head around the door. A large yellow feathering protruded from his grey helmet, catching her eyes. With a flick of her wrist, the guard's head snapped to an awkward angle and his body collapsed to the floor. The door swung wide open. Padmé waisted no time in stepping over his armoured body. Glancing down the corridors, she recognised where she was. More than once Palpatine had her sneak into the prisons to cut off some loose ends. Running down the corridor, she zig-zagged through rooms and hallways. Occasionally she had to kill a guard, but for the most part she could simply avoid them. When she finally escaped the prison, cold rain splattered over her skin. There was no way she could remain on Couresant, the first thing she needed to do was find her ship.


	8. Reunited

Anakin impatiently tapped his foot as the ship slowly lowered to the ground. It was a clunky but inconspicuous cargo carrier. Before the ramp had touched the ground, he was clambering up it. Yoda and Obi-wan peered at him from the top of the ramp. Obi-wans arms were crossed over his chest and Yoda was clutching the top of his walking stick. "How are the rest of the Jedi?" Anakin asked when he reached them. The ramp slowly began to lift causing R2, who was still on it, to whirr and bleep. 

"All safely hidden on a small planet named Dagobah," Obi-wan explained, turning back to walk through the small corridor ahead of them. The innards of the ship were slightly rusted and a few of the lights on the access panel that were supposed to be lit were dark. If it flew, that was all he needed. "It's a dark spot in the force and should hide them from the empire completely."

The cockpit of the ship was decently large with a wide viewport and curving console. "What of Palpatine?" Anakin asked, dropping into the pilot seat. Obi-wan settled into the co-pilot chair, forcing Yoda to jump into the ship's control panel.

"Safely tucked away inside the senate building. We can't reach him until he leaves, the security is too intense." Obi-Wan peered out of the viewport across the molten landscape and absent mindedly began stroking his beard.

"Then we should go after Padmé," Anakin told them. "I’m willing to bet sh could get us closer to him.” Yoda peered up at Anakin, slowly blinking his large green eyes. It was clear the master was thinking something through.

Obi-Wan turned to him stiffly. "Why would she help us? Mrs Amidala is most likely sitting pretty by his side." The thought raised burning rage within him, but he pressed it down. 

"We won't give her a choice," Anakin crossed his arms over his chest. R2 rolled into the room, stopping by his side. "And she is on the move at the minute." Reaching down, he placed a hand affectionately on the droid's domed head. "R2 put a tracking device on her ship when I went to confront her," he explained.

"Then find Mrs Amidala, we will," Yoda told them.

*

Padmé sat in front of a shimmering blue lake. The nabian sapphire sky gleamed over her head. A pebbly shore stretched around the whole lake. The sun warmed her skin gently, unlike the suffocating heat of Mustafar. As far as her eyes could see, tall trees and shrubbery dominated the landscape. Bright yellow flowers poked from the green grasses and several creatures milled around happily, minding their own business. Birds sang from their nests. 

A sharp pain tore at her lower abdomen. It stole her breath and left her grasping at the cool pebbles beneath her. The baby stirred within her, its light presence was hammering down on her defences. A head ache developed between her temples. After a few moments, the pain eventually subsided. The baby ceased its attack also. It left her slightly breathless and disoriented. Padmé crossed her legs into a basket. The baby's persistence confused her. Perhaps it was simply angry with her for letting herself go into labour far too soon. There was no doubt that it knew its life was at risk because of her. Maybe it was just revenge.

A slick sheen of sweat covered her body, cooling her as a gentle breeze blew by. Padmé propped herself up with her arms. Fury expanded like a ballon within her mind. Palpatine was a treacherous snake. Part of her didn't want to believe he would backstab her so easily, the rest of her was furious she hadn't seen it coming. Especially when he had already used her as bait. The anger within her broke out into the force. All the work she had put into establishing the empire, and it was all for naught. All these years spent tirelessly slaving away, for nothing. All the pain and strife, just to be thrown away like garbage. The worst of it, was that Sidious had dared to endanger the life of her child. It was true it would no doubt be powerful like its father, but for Palpatine to try and take it before it was due was simply monstrous. Of course, her master was a sith and so was she. Even if she wasn't supposed to be so attached to her family, she couldn't help it. The water before her began to boil and fizz. The pebbles on the shore rattled aggressively against one another. Palpatine had completely deceived her. Perhaps this was how Anakin felt? No wonder he had come after her so aggressively on Mustafar.

"That's some temper you have Senator," the familiar voice of Obi-wan spoke behind her. "I wonder how difficult it was for you to hide that." Padmé was on her feet in seconds. The pebbles were silenced and the waters stilled. Grasping at her shields, she pulled them close around her mind. There, in the tree line that overlooked the rocky beach, Obi-wan leaned against the rough trunk of a tree. Beside him stood Anakin, his face downturned by a severe scowl. Yoda was in front of them both, a forlorn pain lingered behind his intense gaze. Padmé's heart sunk to her feet. That little temper tantrum of hers must have allowed them to creep up behind her unnoticed. There was hardly a meter between them. 

Padmé straightened up. There was no point in fleeing and even if she had her lightsaber she wouldn't stand a chance against all three. They were Jedi however, and their code wouldn't let them kill her. Not when she had a baby still attached. "Now how did you find me?" Her voice was deathly low as she peered up towards them. 

Anakin moved in one swift motion, drawing his lightsaber and pointing it towards her throat. Padmé suppressed a flinch. "Always with the aggression," She tutted. Keeping her face neutral when meeting his narrowed gaze was proving to be terribly difficult. The hatred she saw burning behind his bright eyes tore at her heart.

"Anakin, stop!" Obi-Wan called, moving towards his former apprentice and placing a hand on his shoulder. Anakin turned to the master, his brows furrowing together. "Don't let your anger blind you," Obi-wan hummed, glancing down towards her stomach. "I don't think Padmé will be putting up much of a fight," he commented. Anakin followed his master's gaze, but his brows were still tugged downwards. Never the less, he sheathed his weapon and tucked it away safely. 

"Indeed," Yoda agreed, moving towards her. "Gone into labour, our little sithstress has." Padmé placed a hand over her stomach. The child's light might not have been attacking her any longer, but it was still burning bright.

Anakin's eyes grew wide, his head snapped towards her abdomen. "But its too early," his voice raised a pitch. Whatever anger he felt was momentarily substituted with shock.

"Well done, you know basic human biology," Padmé snapped, prompting snarl from Anakin. Obi-wan and Yoda sent her blank, unimpressed stares. "I guess the Chancellor grew tired of waiting," she grumbled, cocking a hip to one side. The two Jedi master's traded a wary glance.

"For what?" Anakin pressed.

"For the child of the chosen one," she spoke his title in a snide, sardonic tone. Padmé knew being snarky would do her no good, but it was the only outlet she had for her own anger. 

Anakin's rage erupted around them. This caused her heart to hammer in her chest. Padmé half expected him to impale her where she stood, but she had lots of experience with angry men. There was no way she would give him the satisfaction of knowing he scared her, so she held her ground. The Jedi twitched towards her, drawing cautionary looks from his allies. "So all of this," he gestured to her stomach with an open palm, "was so you could turn my child into a weapon!" 

Padmé rolled her eyes. "The baby wasn't planned. Palpatine was settling for second best," she scoffed. Anakin reared backwards. "It was you my master wanted to turn to his cause. My role was simply as a bargaining chip," the truth was bitter on her tongue, so she couldn't help but spit it out.

"If you were just playing along like your master told you to, then why were you so upset when you came to me in the temple?" his voice dropped, but maintained his hard edge. Obi-wan's discomfort became very prominent in the force. It felt as though Yoda was remaining close by to ensure no fight broke out. It seemed he didn't fully trust in Anakin's restraint. Padmé was glad of it, because she didn't either.

"I had to catch you off guard somehow," she explained. Internally, she cursed herself. Of course she had been distressed by the thought of Anakin finding out the truth, but she should have thought of the consequences such a display of emotion would arouse. Taking a step back, cold water splashed against her foot and distracted her momentarily. It was a lake just like this where she drowned Greenie. The memory sprung to mind, nearly consuming her. It took a lot of effort and aid from the darkside to bar it from her attention, but it left a strange haze over her mind. Padmé felt removed from her body, as though she was watching the conversation from an outside perspective.

"We've been through this before," he argued, narrowing his eyes to slits and leaning forwards. "You didn't know about order sixty-six until after you took me out of the picture," the frustration was becoming more evident in his voice.

It took Padmé's fuzzy mind a minute to scramble for a plausible excuse. Anakin had incorrectly assumed the worst from her statement. They were marching in circles. "If you became my master's apprentice, then he would have killed me," she replied gruffly. "Call it self-preservation." 

Anakin peered down at her, his top lip curled upwards. Padmé didn't need the force to know he didn't want to believe her. "Then why lie the first time?" he pressed even further, stepping towards her. That darkly stained, white presence of his was bearing its full weight on her shields. Stepping back, more cold water sloshed at her heels. Once again, the memory of wailing baby monkeys swamped her senses. Padmé was barely able to fend it off with what minimal access to the force she had. To properly banish it she would need to crack open her shields, but that came with the risk that Anakin would be able to slip inside her mind. The strange disconnection she felt from her body only intensified.

"I'm a sith," she weakly retorted. Padmé knew what he wanted, she just couldn't give it to him. More water splashed at her ankle, rocking her grip on the present. The terror of a six year old watching her only friend drown smashed into her like a spaceship traveling at light speed. 

The Jedi stared at her in alarm. Padmé couldn't stop a few small leaks from sprouting behind her defences. Willing herself not to look back at the water, lest she be sucked into the vortex of her past, she focused her eyes on the tree line ahead of her. "Is there something in the water we should be wary of?" Obi- wan asked, stepping towards her. Anakin's mind was distracted by the lake, allowing her to prop open her defences and draw on the force. It was just enough to let her mind stabilise and chuck the memory into the darkest recesses of her mind.

"Not unless you intended to go swimming," she snorted, pushing past him to stand on the pebbly shore. With that, she slotted her guard back into place. Obi-wan and Anakin looked very confused. "You want my master dead, I'll help you do it," she stated, catching the stares of the Jedi. They seemed interested in her offer. In fact, the information she was offering was probably the reason they tracked her down. They mustn't have expected her to offer it up willingly.

"Why should we trust you?" Anakin snapped, jutting a jaw to one side as he warily eyed her. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't you been lying to us for some time now?"

"From the moment I met you," Padmé nodded in agreement. The Jedi stiffened. "I also want to put his head on a pike however, and we'll need each other to do it." Obi-wan stroked at his beard, as he so often did when he was thinking through a problem. "So I guess you're going to have to take a leap of faith."


	9. Elevator Music

The ride back to Couresant on the sleek cargo ship was excruciating. Not the physical pain, but the tense silence that hung over the cockpit. Naturally, Anakin had taken the pilot seat. With his arms crossed over his chest, he stared out into space. The blue streams whizzed past the viewport. Obi-wan was seated in the co-pilot seat. Unlike his former padawn, the master Jedi was fully relaxed with his legs kicked out in front of him and elbows leaning on the armrests. Yoda's small size had allowed for him to sit comfortably upon the ship's console. With his eyes closed over and arms clasped over his cane, his presence pulsed and twirled within the force. Padmé knew from watching Anakin in the past that the Jedi master was deep in meditation. 

Padmé herself was sitting in a seat towards the back of the cockpit. By pinching at the bridge of her nose, she supported her head by propping it against the arm rest. Occasionally the pain in her abdomen would flare to life. Each time it grew worse than the last and more frequent. It took a lot of physical effort to stop herself from hissing between her teeth. Whenever it did start up, she would call upon the the darkside to feed her resilience and tolerance of pain. Just thinking of Sidious made her blood boil hot enough to fuel her power. Padmé had confidence in her ability to hide emotional pain from the Jedi, but she quickly learned that physical pain was a very different story. Whenever labour struck, Obi-wan would shift slightly and Yoda was tugged from his meditative state. Even Anakin would clench his fists. If she hadn't been in such agony, their discomfort might have amused her. 

The baby was still startled every time it hit. The child's overbearing presence would press hard upon her defences, begging her to let it in. Padmé would do no such thing, especially with three Jedi sitting so close. They would spring at the chance to glean information off of her. A further reason was simply because the light was too intense. If she were to let it in, it would most certainly fry her mind.

They were midway through their journey when Obi-wan decided to break the silence. Padmé had been quite happily meditating on her rage when his mild accent cut through her thoughts. "Senator, is there anything we must be wary of before we jump into a fight with your master?" He asked, swivelling the chair around to face her. Yoda peeled open a green eye. Anakin remained staring into space.

Padmé pressed her lips into a thin line and pondered over the question. "My master is a lot faster than he looks. Without a doubt he'll try to overwhelm you with twirls and flips, but that's all for the drama," Padmé rolled her eyes. "Darth Sidious thinks lightsabers are a joke. The only reason he uses them is to mock you Jedi. If you're hit by his force lightning, the duel will be over."

Yoda hummed and raised a hand to scratch at his chin. "Very dangerous, force lightning is. Be wary of it, we will." 

"I must say, I was rather shocked when I heard your disapproval of killing Jedi younglings. It's not a very sith-like behaviour," Obi-wan sent her an innocent smile. Padmé knew he was trying to get something from her, but she didn't understand what. Perhaps the depth of her alliance to the darkside? It raised a flicker of irritation within her. This conversation was no doubt pointless.

"You jedi think only in black and white," Padmé shook her head, her plat dragged along her back. "It wasn't the younglings fault that they were forced into your cult of an order." When Padmé thought of the Jedi plucking children from their families, it made her stomach churn. Never could she allow her child to be taken and moulded into a weapon.

"Oh?" Obi-wan raised his brows. "And what age were you when you became Sidious's apprentice?"

Padmé jutted her jaw to one side. "Six," she snapped. "But, the Sith are evil," Padmé thought back to the death of her parents. It had been her fault. The darkside was apart of her and there was no way she could escape it. The children the Jedi abducted had the chance to live a very normal and fulfilling life. None of them were ever given the chance. 

"How curious. You've been wielding the darkside for almost the same length of time Anakin has been alive," Obi-wan cast his eyes over to his former apprentice. The younger Jedi stiffened, but said nothing. "It does put holes in your story though." Padmé cocked her head towards him. So far, she had spoken nothing but the truth, there couldn't be holes in her story. "Why come to Geonosis to try and save me? Every other senator would have let me rot."

Padmé finally understood the reason behind this little interrogation. Obi-wan was searching for a sign she was still the the mild tempered Senator he thought he knew. Unlike Anakin, he hadn't yet accepted the truth. Padmé considered throwing him a bone. Their journey was going to be long and it might distract her from her labour. It could also provide some golden entertainment. "Your beard amused me," she felt a smile warming her face. "I quite liked its peculiar aerodynamics."

Obi-wan automatically reached to his face and ran a hand down his beard. "Yes, well, facial hair aside, you must have had a more inspiring reason?" He cocked a sandy eyebrow.

Padmé felt enjoyment swell within her chest. "I was following orders," she replied truthfully. At the time she had simply assumed it was because her master wanted the war to start with a bang, but upon reflection she realised it was to do with Anakin. Palpatine wanted the Jedi to become a powerful apprentice and for that to happen Anakin needed to complete his training, thus his master needed to be alive. Padmé bit down on her tongue. The deception had been there for so long, she just hadn't seen it. 

"Can we move back to a more relevant topic?" Anakin snapped suddenly, his temper baring its teeth. "Like the very powerful Sith Lord that has taken control of the galaxy?" The Jedi stared angrily out the viewport. 

"My apologies," Obi-wan hummed, peering over at Anakin. "I simply wanted to know who was really behind that senatorial mask." With a sharp look from the younger Jedi, the master let out a weary sigh and turned back to Padmé. "Alright then, your master's force lightening. Just how debilitating is it?" Obi-wan spoke with a sharp edge to his words. 

Padmé froze for a moment. Electricity crackled over her skin. A silent scream twisted her throat. Chains held her down. Darkness crept into her vision. Blinking her eyes, the sensations disappeared. Noticing her sudden silence, Yoda peered out from beneath an eyelid towards her. "Get hit by it, and you'll find out." Padmé spoke with a hiss. At this Obi-wan pressed his lips together and sat back into his chair. Whatever he was looking for within her, he must have found it.

*

Padmé found herself within her office once more. Sneaking past the senate guards hadn't been easy, but luckily she was with three powerful force wielders. The lights were off and many of her datapads had been crushed on the floor. Even the gadgets upon her desk had been completely shattered. A foul, charred stench filled the air. The couches that sat in the corner of the room had been gutted, all the stuffing ripped out and scattered across the carpet. The last few orange rays of sunset poured in through windows.

Clambering over the mess, she made her way over to the desk. Several of the drawers had been yanked out and their contents spilled on the floor. The three Jedi slipped silently into the room behind her. "You really should take better care of your working space Senator," Obi-wan tutted as he manoeuvred himself over the debris and towards her. Padmé didn't dignify the comment with a response. Plucking one of the drawers from the floor, she pushed in one of the corners. The bottom popped open, revealing a secret compartment beneath. 

"A false bottom? Old fashioned, indeed," Yoda commented, leaning on his stick. From inside it, she pulled out a cylindrical holo disk and large metal face mask. Tucking the disk into a back pocket, she moved towards the door. 

Anakin stepped into her path, raising a gloved hand to halt her. Padmé skidded to a stop, nearly crashing into him. "You can't just lead us around like children. What are you planning?" An intense glare bore into her eyes. This raised a glimmer of anger within her. It wasn't long until she'd be useless. They didn't have time for petty squabbling. 

"I'm going to stop the Jedi culling and then expose the Chancellor's true nature to the senate," she pushed all of the words out in one breath before stepping around him and moving towards the door. As she left the room, she glanced left and right. The hallways were practically barren. The only signs of life was the occasional cleaning droid or patrol of guards. Creeping across the corridor, she pressed the button for the turbo lift. The Jedi caught up to her as the doors pinged open. All four of them stepped inside. After pressing the button for the top floor, the doors slid shut behind them. The lift's engines purred and it shot them upwards, tugging her gut down.

"Stopping the Jedi being killed?" Obi-wan hummed, folding his arms into his cloak. "I thought you hated our cult of an order?" 

Padmé kept her eyes trained on the metallic doors in front of her. Anakin was standing behind her and she could feel his hateful gaze resting on her shoulders. Obi-wan and Yoda were standing by her side, their eyes also focused on the door. "The Jedi will be needed after this mess settles," she clenched her jaw tight. "This time you should stick to peace keeping." Part of the reason she had been shocked with her master's plan to annihilate the Jedi was because she had always thought they would be useful for maintaining the peace that they had worked so hard to protect. Perhaps, as her master said, she was simply being foolish.

"Mess? Isn't this exactly what you wanted?" Anakin growled from behind her. Goosebumps prickled over the back of her neck.

"A dictatorship? Yes." Padmé told them. The memory of a peaceful galaxy that never was sprung to her mind. "But I fear my master wants total domination."

"Bitten by its elder, the serpent was," Yoda hummed, catching her eye. "Thus, agreed to help us, you did." The lift drew to a halt, and Padmé could feel her stomach flipping at the loss of velocity. Tearing her gaze from the tiny green master, she stepped out into the corridor. Once again, it was nearly deserted. 

It didn't take them long to reach the chancellor's office. Stopping outside his door, she glanced over her shoulder at the Jedi. Anakin's steely glare was the first to meet her eyes. It made her heart twist. Shifting her eyes to Obi-wan, she spoke in a hushed tone. "The senate will be in session for the next few days in order to create new laws and legislations. I don't know how long it will be until the next break, so be on your guard."

"Always," Obi-wan whispered back. Turning back to the door, she stepped forwards. It slid back into the wall and granted her entrance to the office. The room was dark, the window still missing, but the mess had been cleared from the floor. The lights flickered on. The large red splotches where Jedi had died were completely gone. The carpet looked brand new. 

Not allowing herself time to think on it, she moved over to her master's desk and began rifling through its drawers. Yoda hobbled over to the shattered window and stopped before the spot that Windu's body had once rested. Padmé should have let the Jedi kill Palpatine. Obi-wan followed the old master and crouched down to place a hand upon his shoulder. Anakin, on the other hand, was close behind her. Towering over the desk, he watched with hardened eyes as she perched on the seat and pulled a cylindrical communicator from the desk. Placing the mask over her face, she slid a clasp over the edge of her jaw. The mask let out a low buzz.

After clicking a few buttons, a small hologram of a clone trooper appeared on top of the communicator. "How may I be of service, my Lord?" the trooper asked, standing to attention. The sounds of blaster-fire echoed through the communicator. Anakin narrowed his eyes at the image. A small ache began to gnaw at her abdomen. It sent a rush of panic racing through her. 

"Terminate order sixty-six," Padmé spoke. Her voice sounded nothing like her own. It was deeper, masculine and held the distinct Nabian accent of the Chancellor. It was the perfect copy of his voice. It startled the Jedi, prompting the two masters to turn towards her. The pain in her stomach quickly escalated, forcing her to hold her breath. 

"Are you sure, my lord?" The trooper's head tilted slightly. 

"Yes," Padmé barked out, less in frustration and more in desperation. The baby was restricting around her mind like a water serpent. The pressure caused a pounding headache within her skull.

"Of course," the trooper answered back quickly. Padmé ended the transmission and dropped the device to the floor. Tearing the mask from her face, she threw it on top of the Chancellor's desk. Hissing out a breath between her teeth, she curled in on herself, planted her elbows on her knees and dug the heels of her palms into her eye sockets. A shrill, high pitched ringing vibrated in her ears. It felt like a blade had been plunged into her gut and was being fiercely twisted. This time, she couldn't call upon the darkness. Not with her master so close by. Sidious would sense her within the second she opened her mind to the force. Digging her nails into her scalp, she simply had to wether it through.

After a short while, the pain eventually began to subside and the baby along with it. When she pulled her head from hands, Anakin was crouching in front of her. Those steely blue eyes of his were wrinkled with concern. Obi-wan and Yoda were standing by the desk, their faces warped with a similar emotion. "Padmé, you need to go to the hospital," his voice was softer than before, but still sharp.

Clenching her teeth, she shook her head and rose to her feet. "The sooner the chancellor's deception is exposed, the easier it will be for you to regain control of the galactic senate," Padmé told him sternly. "There is still time," she looked directly into his gaze, her eyes unwavering. Standing in front of her, his brows tugged down. Anakin had never been very good at concealing his emotions. Even if she couldn't utilise the force, she would always have known what he was thinking. In that moment, he was fighting with himself.

"Right, the Senator is," Yoda spoke gently to Anakin. "Ending the Chancellor's reign, our priority is."

Anakin ran a hand over his face and turned away from her. "Fine, but we need to do it quickly."


	10. #palpatineisoverparty

Just as Padmé expected, all of the entrances to the senate auditorium were manned by armed guards. Poking her head around a sharp corner, she caught sight of a tall man in armour wearing a feather plumed helmet. The guard was standing tall in front of the doors that led to the Nabian pod. Unfortunately, she still couldn't use the force and she didn't have her lightsaber. Clenching her teeth, she turned to the Jedi behind her and raised her brows. That was the only cue Anakin needed to swing around the corner and knock the man out with a blow to the head. Whilst his robes settled around his feet, he scowled back towards them. Padmé moved swiftly to the door. It opened before her to display a small, dark corridor. Plunging into the darkness, she ran across a small pathway that lead to her pod. The chancellor's morphed voice rattled throughout the whole auditorium. 

Bursting into the blinding lights of the senate, she dove into her empty pod and slammed hard on the activation sequence. The large, funnel shape of the auditorium allowed for hundreds of hovering pods to be lined in tightly packed rows along the walls. Intense lights shone on tall podium in the centre of the room. Atop it stood Palpatine. Dark, crimson robes flowed from his body and a large hood concealed his face. The chancellor was speaking, too enthralled in his words to notice their presence. There was two heavy thuds and softer one that rattled the boat behind her. Whispers spread across the senate hall quicker than a startled bird to the air. Lowering her head towards the microphone, she took in a shallow breath. "Do not listen to the chancellor!" Padmé refrained herself from yelling, but her voice was loud enough to cause a shriek within the audio systems.

The chancellor's head snapped towards her, his hands that had been raised were tugged back in towards his chest. "Guards, we have a fugitive!" Palpatine pointed a gnarled finger towards them.

Padmé pressed down hard on the controls, her pod floated up into the air. Hundreds of eyes were resting on her, human and otherwise. "Palpatine is the one who has been scheming against the Jedi!" She threw and accusing hands towards him. Armoured guards began filtering into the room. Their weapon's clanked. Distressed murmurs spread over the hall. "The chancellor is really the Sith Lord who has been controlling the separatist armies!" A burst of laughter erupted over the room, but there were also hateful whispers and heckles, calling her a Jedi-sympathiser or a traitor. 

"Very imaginative Senator," Palpatine clapped his hands together slowly. Unease began to roll from the Jedi behind her.

Pulling the cylinder from her back pocket, she rammed it into a small slot in the control panel. A blue hologram burst to life in front of them, large enough that everyone could see. It showed the chancellor twirling through the air with his lightsaber, cutting through Jedi masters like they were soft cheese. Horrified gasps filled the air. Palpatine's yellow eyes met hers from beneath his hood. For a moment, they just stared. The heckles shifted over to the chancellor. They booed and hissed, calling him a liar and a traitor. Padmé's heart pounded in her chest. Blue lightning erupted like a cloak around the chancellor, instantly frying his entourage. Their bodies fell to the floor like rocks. Screams pierced the air and the senate was thrown into chaos. 

Politicians ran for the doors. The guards guided them through the exits. Palpatine let out a roar of rage. The Jedi leapt into action. Whilst the hall was being emptied, the Sith clashed with the three Jedi and hurtled entire boats towards them. The red blade caught the blue blades and fended them off with a terrifying ferocity she knew too well. Pulling back on her controls, the pod began to float down towards the wall. Watching the fight unfold before her was like watching a tornado spin. Anakin and Obi-wan were moving in perfect sync, with Yoda opportunistically striking at the chancellor. Despite her master's multitude of powers, it was clear he was overwhelmed. They bounced and flipped over the auditorium. 

The pod sunk back into its dock. Clambering up onto the walkway, she could only watch with baited breath and a hammering heart. Bright flashes of electricity shot across the room. They began to draw closer to her. Anxiety pulled at her attention. Backing away from the fast approaching duellists, she slipped into the small corridor and concealed herself from sight. It occurred to her that she could simply use this time to flee. After Palpatine was killed and she had given birth, her head would be on the chopping block. There were many deaths and bodies to her name. Mace Windu was one of them. If they didn't execute her, then they most certainly would give her life in prison. Padmé deliberated it, but in the end decided it would be a stupid idea. They would find her because the baby was a gleaming beacon. There was a deep ache within her chest that told her to stay anyway. A powerful longing to see her master die. To hear him scream in pain, the same way she had under his training.

Padmé was pulled from her musings when a mass of scarlet clothing came hurtling towards her. Sidious flipped over her and gripped her throat with a cold, skeletal hand. The corridor became illuminated with blue and green light as the Jedi came charging in. They quickly skidded to a halt upon seeing her predicament. Sidious pulled her back wards, towards him, until face was poking over her shoulder. The darkside wrapped around her neck, slowly constricting her airway. Padmé felt hot embarrassment rise within her as she reached up and grasped at her master's wrist. How could she have let herself be taken advantage of so easily? The Jedi remained a safe distance away, their arms slightly raised. "Don't hurt her!" Anakin shouted, his entire body was rigid.

"Still have feelings for Mrs Amidala, do we?" Sidious chuckled, tightening his grip around her throat. "Or perhaps you feel like you owe her, after she so valiantly stopped your fall to the darkside," he hummed sardonically. Anakin's brows furrowed and deep wrinkles formed over the bridge of his nose. "Oh, she didn't tell you?" Obi-Wan glanced between the pair, concern twinkling in his eyes.

"Shut up," Padmé choked out. This only caused her master to burst into a fit of laughter. If he revealed her truth now, then all the pain she had inflicted on Anakin would be for nothing. All the hateful words that broke her heart to speak would be empty. There was no doubt he was already very suspicious of her motivation, and probably knew the real reason deep down, but to have it spelled out in front of them both would be mortifying.

"She left you unconscious in that temple to stop you from coming to me," Sidious hissed. Anakin's brows lifted, his eyes widening. Yoda grimaced and shook his head, but didn't seem surprised. Of course the grandmaster of the Jedi would know when one of his warriors was veering a little too far off into the darkness. It was his job to guide them along the correct path.

"Don't let him mess with your mind, Anakin," Obi-wan commented sharply, although from his stern scowl and trembling force presence it was clear he was shaken by her master's words.

Anakin's features sharpened. Curling his upper lip, he bore his teeth. "She told me it was because she was afraid of being replaced." The words stung in a way Padmé knew they shouldn't. Why would she be offended when she had put the words in his mouth and goaded him to spit them out. The way he said it however, sounded like a toddler trying to convince itself that it hadn't finished the last of the chocolate.

"No, unfortunately it was an act entirely selfless in nature. Completely ridiculous for a sith," Sidious growled, taking a few steps back and dragging her with him. The movement cause her master's sleeve to fall, draping itself over her shoulder. Within it she could feel a long, hard object. Delight sprung out from within her. It was her lightsaber. There was no denying the familiar buzz of the force that hummed around it. Once again Anakin's face was pulled into a pained scowl. Seeing that made Padmé's gut sink to the floor. "It's a pity you'll never get to ask her about it."

Before she could process what her master had said, lightning crackled to life between his fingers. It raced over her skin, sending shocks of pain throughout her entire nervous system. Every muscle in her body went stiff. Plunging herself into the force, she lay a hand over her stomach and deflected the raw electricity just enough to spare the baby from its agonising grip. A shout of pain escaped between her lips. The corners of her vision were tinged red. The torment inflicted upon her body opened the floodgates to the darkside within her. Wrenching her rigid hand up, she summoned her lightsaber to it. With ease it slipped from her master's sleeve and flew to its rightful owner. The moment it's cool metal hit her palm, she pushed it against her shoulder and ignited it. 

The electricity fizzled out, but a new searing hot pain burst to life where her lightsaber was imbedded in her body. Deactivating her blade, she let it clatter to the floor. There was a loud thud from behind her. Padmé was blinded by the overwhelming light of her child constricting around her senses. A thick haze fell over her senses. Colours and shapes blurred together in front of her eyes. She hadn't realised she was falling until two hands gripped at her shoulders, prompting a hiss from her as a sharp stab of pain flared in her lightsaber wound. Someone was standing close to her, using their body to prop her up. It was too close. Raising her uninjured arm, she pushed meekly against their chest. The person took a step back but didn't remove their hands. Deep voices rumbled through the air. The world was spinning around her.

Padmé unsteadily sunk to her knees. The person gripping her stopped her from toppling over. Distantly she could hear voices urgently exchanging words. The pressure from the babies presence was making her head pound. There was shrill noise ringing in her ears. Someone called her name. Craning her head up, all she could make out were splotches of peach connected to either black or tan clothing. There was also a smaller green shape. The sensations she felt were strangely familiar. A memory drifting amongst the soup of her mind. The hands pulled her up slightly. A strike of fear made her heart hammer within her chest. Padmé pulled away from the grasp, letting out a strained cry. The hands only pulled harder. Before she knew it, she was in the air. Someone had looped their arms under her legs and back. Their chest pressed against her side. Despite the way the world rocked, she could tell they were moving from the way the person's clothes shifted beneath her. Weakly, she squirmed in their grasps in a failed attempt to break free. "Stop," a rough voice barked. It was a voice she knew well. A bittersweet mix of citrus and machine oil drifted over her. Anakin. Padmé went still in his arms. 

Slowly the world became a little clearer and she could just about pick out the features of his face above her. With his head facing forwards, she could make out most of his jaw and cheekbone. Padmé's mind tried to sort through the events that led her up to being in such a state. There was fighting. Lots of fighting. It felt like she'd been fighting for days. Anakin was so close. Guilt stirred within her when the memory of Mustafar sprung to mind. All the horrible things she had said. It was all meaningless now because of her master's manipulative tongue. Padmé could feel her life force dwindling. Like a flame slowly shrinking until it withered into nothing. It scared her that she could die and he might live never knowing what was a lie and what was the truth. Settling her frayed emotion, she realised that she couldn't leave him guessing. It wasn't fair. "Anakin, I lied," her voice was pathetically small. So quiet she wasn't even sure she had spoken.

The muscles in his jaw tightened. "Which time in particular?" His voice rumbled through his chest.

"My master told me to stay away from you. That you'd be nothing but a distraction. A weakness," she admitted with a heavy heart. Anakin's eyes flicked down to her for a moment. "But I always felt like my duties to the sith and the senate were the distraction."

Anakin's grip on her tightened slightly, but he kept his eyes trained forwards. "Padmé, we can speak about this later. Focus on healing yourself," his voice was stern, but she wasn't fooled. That was as close as he came to pleading. Obliging him, she closed her eyes over and focused her attention on her force connection. The light side was still smothering her from all angles. There was no way she could open her defences to meditate with the baby banging on her walls. So instead, she just tried to take her mind off of the horrible pain that wracked her body. To do it, she listened to the fast thrumming of Anakin's heart through his thick robes. It was a muffled noise, but she could hear it. It's steady lub-dub sang like the beat of a drum.

Padmé wasn't sure how much time passed. The pain came in waves, tugging at her attention. The world around her was a spinning haze. For a while she was fairly certain she was on a speeder. There were voices. Anakin left her side. Although that panicked her a little, her mind was too fogged to voice her concern. Droids futtered around her for a while, tugging, pulling and nipping at her. When Anakin returned, she was lying on a cold hard surface. There was something pressing against the bottom of her rib cage. The familiar cold sting of a bacta strip pinched her shoulder. Blinding lights shone down on her. Dark shadows slipped across her vision. A warm hand gripped her own. Padmé felt pain gouge its gnarly claws into her abdomen. She could feel her very bones shifting and clicking inside of her. It as though her insides were being twisted around a knife. Horrendous screaming tore at her throat, but none of it felt like it was coming from her. A little bubble of consciousness was where she resided at the back of her mind like she were a stranger in her own body, floating amongst all the agony. Even the banging of the baby on her mental walls seemed distant. It was all getting further and further away, as though she were drifting in an abyss.

"Padmé," a vaguely familiar voice spoke, a small clawed hand tilting her head to once side. "Let the light in, you must." The words forced her vision to sharpen just a little. Enough to see two green eyes staring at her with a deeply sorrowful gaze. "Open your mind." Padmé knew it was Yoda speaking to her, and she knew she needed to do as he told her. For the sake of her child, no matter the effect it had on her. 

With the last of her fading awareness, she cracked open her defences a little. Immediately the presence of her baby flooded into her mind. The light's dazzle startled her and instinctively she tried to ram her shields closed once more. It was too late. Stopping the influx of light was like trying to stop the water pouring in the side of a damaged submarine with only her bare hands. The defences she had clung to for so long were completely demolished and all the walls she had so carefully crafted crumbled. Padmé drew in a raggedly sharp breath. The light side didn't burn like she had expected it to. Instead, it bathed her gently in serenity. It left her with a airy, tickling sensation in her mind. When the pain came again it was still intense and drew an agonised cry from her lips, but the edge had been taken off. The brilliant light from within her was easing the torment. 

Padmé wasn't even shocked when she realised the overwhelming presence of her baby could be divided into two manageable chunks. A smile cracked her features. Lifting her eyes up, she followed the trail of panic and fear that streamed from Anakin. The Jedi was standing beside her, grasping her hand. Catching his wide and horrified eyes, she murmured, "there are two of them Ani." Anakin's face shifted into an expression of disbelief. This drew a laugh from her chest. Padmé could sense him struggling to come to grips with the new information.

The laughter morphed into a pained cry when the pain intensified. The babies kept their soothing light fixed on her mind. Padmé realised with a start that they hadn't been simply unaware and blindly pressing on her defences, they had been trying to help her the entire time. Even so young, they could sense her pain. It warmed her heart. They would surely be destined to do great things. As the pain reached its peak, she could feel Anakin wincing at the strength of her grip. Skilfully, he shifted her hand from his human one to his robotic limb. This drew another flicker of amusement from within her. Anakin seemed to sense this and indignation rose within him. When he moved to return his original hand to her steel grip, she only held onto his metallic one tighter.

The babies were born in quick succession of one another and taken to another room for care. Padmé could sense their calming presence slipping from her mind. It left her feeling cold and exhausted. Laying on her back, her muscles felt rigid and leaden. Even if she had wanted to, she couldn't pry her eyes open. A bitter reality smacked her in the face. Her shields were still in pieces. No matter how hard she tried to pull them back up, they slipped from her weary grasps. The presence of Anakin and Yoda became painfully obviously to her. They shone by her side, no doubt sensing every emotion and thought she was feeling. The exposure sickened her. Padmé might as well have been lying naked in front of them. It was pitiful, the weakened state of her body and mind. How had she allowed herself to deteriorate so badly? She was completely at their mercy.

With nowhere left for her to hide them, all the emotions she had been locking away over the past few days came tumbling down on top of her. The anger, the fear, the heartbreak and the guilt. They swamped her, drowned her senses. Padmé would have jolted, had she the energy, when Anakin placed a warm hand on her shoulder. Although she couldn't see him, the unhindered connection to the force she had told her exactly what he was doing. Leaning down, he pressed his forehead against her own. Warm breath washed over her face. "It's okay," he murmured, lifting a hand to stroke her hair. "It's over now." The gentle hum of his voice eased her strife. With his own blinding presence, he reached out delicately and touched her mind. Padmé had felt his force presence from afar, even gleaned its edges when he was sleeping, but never had they had such contact before. It was jarring, the soothing warmth that overcame her. With a little tug at her mind, he guided her deep into slumber.


	11. Out of Ideas

When Padmé awoke the first thing she noticed was the clarity and ease with which the force was flowing through her. After a moment or two of dazzled confusion, she realised her shields were still in tatters around the edges of her mind. A familiar blinding light was buzzing nearby. Anakin. When his intrigue perked, he knew she was awake. Peeling her eyes open, the light assaulted her. Everything around her was white and a minty nip lingered on her tongue. The taste of a bacta tank. There were soft fabrics beneath her and something plump propping up her head. Padmé had been in enough similar situations to know she was in a hospital. 

Taking in a deep breath, she gathered her shields around her and pressed them into place. The force became smothered and muted around her. Padmé then pushed herself into a cross legged position and propped her back against the top of the bed. They were in a small room with only one bed. A large window to her side allowed streams of light to pool into every corner of the room. The hospital gown she wore was thin, but the warmth of the room stopped her feeling cold.

At the foot of the bed Anakin was toying with a long, shiny, cylindrical object, passing it between his palms. A feint frown had begun to form on his brows as he ran a thumb down the length of what Padmé realised was her lightsaber. "You know, you shouldn't shut yourself off from the force. It's part of you," blue eyes flicked up to look at her. Deep, dark circles rested beneath his eyes. Clenching her jaw, she peered down at him. Padmé supposed there was no real point in her keeping her guard up anyway. They all knew who she really was. Hesitantly, she loosened her grip on the shields and allowed them to crack open. 

Padmé silently watched him return to toying with her lightsaber. With the flick of a thumb, he slid part of the glossy metal coating back and revealed the lightsaber's crimson core. In the past she had never struggled to strike a conversation with him. It had always seemed to flow naturally between them like a river with an unending source. It would seem her recent antics had dried that river to cracked mud. What could she possibly say? That she was sorry she had been lying to him about who she really was for years? That she was sorry for being involved in a plot that nearly massacred the Jedi? That she was sorry she had done her best to push him away? The only issue was, she wasn't sorry. Yes, it was awful the Jedi had been slaughtered, but she had no hand in that. At least not willingly. All the deceptions she had given were for his benefit. To help him. Even if Palpatine had destroyed every single one of her plans, she wasn't going to apologise for making them. Not when they could have benefitted so many people. Perhaps the only thing she really could sincerely say sorry for was the mental trauma she had inflicted. 

Anakin plucked the crimson crystal from the hollow of her lightsaber and held it up in the air. It cast a red sparkling light upon the white bedsheets. "Master Yoda told me how these things are crafted," Anakin commented, turning it over in his fingers. Looking over at her, his brows tugged together. "Nasty stuff."

Padmé bit down on her bottom lip. Cracking that crystal and bleeding it red had taken her days of meditation. It had twisted her thoughts and shown her visions of the light. For hours she went without sleep or food, but after pouring all the vile energy she could muster into it, it bent to her will. It was worth it, in the end. "I wasn't particularly fond of the process," Padmé hummed out, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's many years in the past now."

"If you started as a sith at five, did they give you a lightsaber at six?" Anakin cocked a brow towards her. There was a hint of aggression in his voice. A coldness he rarely, if ever, used to use on her. Padmé could sense his anger like the churning surface of a stream. Below it was nothing but glassy coolness. It confused her, the front he was putting on. Yes, the anger he felt was very real, but why tug on it so hard it strains? With a withering sigh, he slotted the crystal back into the lightsaber and began piecing it back together. "Was your plan worth it? Did all the lies finally pay off?" his voice snapped at her with a deep rumble.

"Some of them," Padmé uttered softly. Despite everything that went wrong, there was one thing she had managed to do. Keep him from falling. Anakin clenched his jaw and dropped the lightsaber onto the bed. "Anakin, you have every right to be angry, bu-"

"That's the thing," he cut her off, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm not angry. Not like I should be." Padmé bit down on her tongue and watched him slump backwards into his chair. Bringing tormented eyes to meet her own, he continued, "I was livid. On Mustafar, on Naboo, on the ship." Anakin's presence wavered. Strife made the edges of his mind prickly to the touch. "But when we were in the Chancellor's office, and I really saw how much pain you were in, it's like it all slipped away," he thrust an arm out, away from himself. Padmé wrapped her arms tighter around her chest. "Then when I carried you to the hospital, I felt you fading," his voice wavered and his eyes focused on the white bedsheets. "I thought you were going to die," Anakin lifted his head as droplets of water sparkled in his eyes. "There was nothing I could do," he practically snarled the words. A tear tracked down his cheek. Padmé's heart clenched.

"When you were giving birth, the life drained from your body," his intense gaze pinned her down. "You were this close to death Padmé," he pinched his forefinger and thumb together, leaving a gap only a dust particle could squeeze through. Padmé's blood ran cold. At the time she was aware death was possible, but upon reflection she could pinpoint the exact moment her life had almost been snuffed out. It brought a pang of fear to her chest. "If it hadn't been for the twins bursting through those impenetrable walls of yours, you might have," he choked on the last few words. Padmé could sense hurt bubbling up within him. "Until then, I thought you really might be evil," his watery gaze was still fixed on hers. Padmé held his stare. "But when I touched your mind, I saw the truth." Looking up to scan his hardened features. "You're nothing but a scared, wounded animal." 

Padmé narrowed her eyes. For a moment, she was struck dumb. What could she possibly say to refute that and not sound defensive or childish? "Maybe I am, but I practically had to pry you out of Palpatine's jaws," she spoke with deadly diction.

Anakin's force presence began to bubble. "Why did you?" He snapped. Padmé's brows puckered together, surely it should have been obvious. Perhaps he just wanted the satisfaction of making her say it. "You're a sith, what difference would it have made if I was one too?" he slapped a hand against his chest. "You seemed quite alright with the Chancellor twisting his way into my head before the purges began." There was a bitter venom in his mouth. With a thumb he swiped away the wet tears on his cheeks.

"It would have destroyed you," Padmé responded sharply. Anakin's face twisted. "Everything you love, the fight for peace, the people you protect. That would have all been lost." His gaze became unfocused as he peered down at the bedsheets. "If you gave it all up, you would be nothing more than a cruel mockery of yourself."

Anakin's deceitfully placid features turned to her. There was a strange look of defiance that shone in his eyes. "Is that what you are?" He leaned forwards onto the bed. "A cruel mockery of yourself?"

Padmé pressed her lips into a thin line. "I was born into the darkness," she responded in a low voice. "You were born as a beacon of light."

Anakin reeled back, his face twisting into a scowl of disgust. "No one is born evil. Not even the chancellor,"

Padmé was about to respond when the door swung open and two very familiar Jedi walked in. Padmé slammed the doors of her mind shut instantly. Yoda leapt from the floor to the base of her bed. Anakin leaned back into his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "For the intrusion, my apologies," Yoda spoke gently to Padmé, then turned to cast a withering eye at Anakin. "Tell us when she awoke, you were supposed to."

"Anakin has a wife and two children master," Obi-wan commented, stopping by her bedside. "I feel like his disobedience shouldn't surprise us anymore." His hair was perfectly styled backwards as always, but the fresh clothing and done up appearance couldn't hide the way his shoulders were drooping or the ghosts that haunted his eyes. Anakin remained silent, staring angrily at the floor.

"Speak to you, we must, about your court date," Yoda informed her. Emerald eyes peered into her own.

"Yes, of course." Padmé responded. A trial for her guilt was expected, but the idea was daunting. To have all your crimes rubbed in your face in front of hundreds of people. The thought sickened her, but she knew it was necessary.

"Condemned to death row, the Chancellor has been," Yoda informed her.

Padmé lurched forwards, her eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. "My master is still alive?" There was no concealing the gritty rage within her voice. Confusion wrapped around her. When he met the pointy end of her lightsaber, she had felt his lifeforce slipping away. In fact, she couldn't feel his blood curdling presence at all. Not since the senate building.

"Indeed," Obi-wan hummed, reaching a hand up to stroke his beard. "It seems we underestimated his strength with the dark side. After you impaled him, he kept himself alive with the force. Long enough to be saved by medical droids." Padmé's blood ran cold. Even if Palpatine was in custody, there was no prison that could hold him. That sith's evil didn't originate from the force. The master she knew was a vengeful tyrant that would do anything to revel in her misery. As long as Palpatine was alive, her children could never be safe.

"What would I need to say to end up on death row?" Padmé asked, cocking her head to the side. Although she had a number of crimes to her name, the only ones the Jedi would know about for sure was the murder of Mace Windu and the separatist leaders.

Obi-wan and Yoda traded an uneasy glance. Anakin glowered at her from underneath thick lashes. "As it is, there is very little you would need to add to be sent to your death," Obi-wan told her. That sent a hint of cold fear running through her body. The children growing up without a mother would be difficult enough, but a mother deemed to be too dangerous to keep alive? That would surely be a horrible burden. Unless they never found out. Still, it did give her a hum of anticipation. To protect her children from inside the death row prison might be the only good thing she could do with what was left of her life. The moment she got the chance, Palpatine would die. 

"Wish to speak to you, we do, about your past." Yoda told her, sitting on the white bedsheets. "A sith, were you not, at age six?" 

Padmé didn't like the way they stared at her. Their faces devoid of any emotion. Analytical. Critical. The way a master would watch their apprentice train. Looking for mistakes. Anakin was the only one who wasn't scanning her face for clues. Instead, he was glaring at the ground. The muscles tight in his jaw. "Trained in the darkside, yes, but not yet strong enough to call myself a sith," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

Obi-wan pulled a chair from the corner of the room and sat on the opposite side of the bed from Anakin. "What did you think of your master growing up?" Obi-wan asked, leaning back into his chair. Padmé wasn't sure where his motives lay. What purpose could he have or care about enough to want to question her in such a way? Still, their eyes remained focused on her. It made her squirm beneath her skin.

"That he was a magical space sprout who sprinkled everyone around him with love and affection," Padmé slapped on her sweetest smile. If they thought she was just going to open up her life to them on a whim, they were very wrong. Obi-wan let out a hefty sigh. Yoda stared at her unblinkingly. It was clear they were expecting to play whatever game they had set out before her. Part of her wondered what they could possibly have that would make them think she would just spill? Anakin was staring between them with his brows puckered. 

"So, to you, he was a creature of nightmares that did nothing but spread misery?" Obi-wan cocked a brow. 

Padmé drew her head back and cocked it to one side. "That, is not what I said."

"The opposite of what you said, it is," the little green master nodded his head. Padmé looked between them. Annoyance flickered within her. "But still the truth?" 

"I'm sure all children would have found Sidious scary," she curled her upper lip at the mention of her master. Perhaps she had feared her master, but fear brings power. There was no shame in that. 

"Not all children," Obi-wan tutted. "Anakin here was quite fond of Palpatine." The Jedi master glanced over at his ex-padawan. Anakin looked disgruntled and bewildered at his involvement in the conversation. 

"My master couldn't be horrible to kids here on Couresant because he needed the approval of the senate." Padmé answered back firmly, knitting her brows together. This was ridiculous. That annoyance in her chest was quickly rising to anger. 

"But he was horrible to you on Naboo?" Obi-wan hummed. There was a measure of coldness as he peered at her. Padmé knew Obi-wan was proficient at talking his way around problems, but being subjected to his sharp wit left her no room for admiration. There was a reason for all of this, she just couldn't place a finger on it. Perhaps they simply wanted more proof for he being an evil and vicious child that was hopelessly devoted to her master. They wanted security that she would be behind bars for the rest of her, goodness knows how long, life.

"A tough teacher perhaps," Padmé hummed. 

"What sort of lessons did he impart?" Obi-wan pressed further, the corners of his lips perking upwards. Padmé didn't respond. Memories of her early life sprung to her mind. It drew out an anger and rage she had saved only for when necessary. Padmé attempted to smother it, getting angry would not help her at all. It struggled back against her grasps like a bubble of air searching for the water's surface. The metal of her lightsaber called out to return to her hand.

"Important, is pain not, to the life of a sith?" Yoda added, a tall ear flicking.

"You know as well as I that pain is a great bolster for the darkside," Padmé snapped back, her tone sharpening.

"So taught you a lot about pain, your master did?" Yoda cocked a head to the side. Padmé felt electricity racing over her skin. Anakin leant forwards in his chair, his eyes bore into her. 

"No, my master saved torture for Maul," a bitter smile twisted her lips. Obi-wan's eyes widened a fraction. "It takes more than a poke with a stick to get me angry."

"If you knew Maul, then why was he hunting for you on Tatooine?" Obi-wan asked, sitting up.

"We didn't know of each other's existence then. It was a training event to pit us against each other," Padmé responded, the wavering smile she plastered on did little to ease the expanding bubble of rage that pressed against the inside of her shields. What right had he to know anything about her past? None.

Obi-wan's brows furrowed. Taking in a deep breath, he pressed his lips into a thin line. "I see. So your master used psychological pain as a tool to bolster your abilities." Padmé felt the bubble pop. Deep cracks ran the length of her shields, allowing the darkside to flood in. Before she knew it, she had summoned her blade to her hand and used it to pin Obi-wan against the opposite wall. A scarlet light lit his face from below as she used one hand to press him against the it and the other to hold her blade to his neck. A chair clattered to the floor behind them, followed by the familiar noise of an igniting lightsaber. Obi-wan lifted a hand, stopping Anakin for intervening. "I see I hit a nerve," he hummed. Even although his features were placid, she could sense emotion swirling beneath his glassy eyes. The darkness whispered in her ear to simply kill him and be done with the petty annoyance. "What was it he did?" There was a note of arrogance in his voice. "Did he destroy your favourite toy?" 

Padmé was drowned by the memory of Greenie. The way her glossy coat lost it shine as she sank to the bottom of the lake. Letting out a choked snarl, she moved her blade closer to his throat. "Perhaps if I cut out your tongue it would teach you not to speak so freely about things you know nothing of," her voice was morphed, completely different from her normal sweet tone. Instead, it was guttural and deep.

"Did he gut your parents too?" Obi-wan cocked a brow. The unrelenting anger reached its peak. The darkside seized her self control. Padmé shoved her blade towards his neck. The Jedi flicked his hands up and pushed against the shaft of her blade. The crimson light brushed at his neck. It sizzled and long plumes of smoke rose from his burning skin. Padmé pushed harder, causing Obi-wan let out a strained wheeze and cast his eyes over her shoulder. Feeling Anakin reach for her, Padmé used the force to propel herself into the air and flip backwards over his head. The bed jiggled as she landed on it. Yoda had moved to the floor and was tottering over to the pair of Jedi. Obi-wan rubbed at his throat, with Anakin standing in front of him like a guard droid. A blue sapphire blade hummed in his hands and his matching eyes stared angrily up at her. Padmé was so infuriated that his seething glare felt like a droplet of cold water on her skin.

"Found her, we did," Yoda reached out and touched Obi-wan's leg before turning back to her. "The Sith Palpatine would have spent time carving."

Padmé twirled her blade in her hands, rising to her full height. The hum it produced made goosebumps blossom over her skin. "You want to know the truth?" Her voice was deathly quiet. All three men focused on her. "My parents were the one thing my master couldn't take from me." Obi-Wan pushed himself from the wall. "I already killed them," her voice sounded like a low purr and her rage lashed out at the room around her. A harsh wind blew about her ankles.

"You couldn't possibly have meant to at five," Anakin barked, throwing his hands into the air. Padmé could feel he was angry too, but also scared. Not for himself, but of what she really was. Of the evil he could finally see within her. It was delightful. The darkside pulsed and wrapped around her, tugging at random objects in the room and making them rattle.

"I was three." Padmé narrowed her eyes, a cruel smile twisting her lips. "The bloodlust started early," she responded in a melodic tone. 

Obi-wan, with a hand still around his neck, took a step towards the bed and craned his neck up to see her. "Is this what Sidious did? Wound you up till you were consumed by rage and set you on his enemies?" Padmé didn't respond. Not an inch of her face twitched as she stared impassively down at them. The pounding heart within her screamed to lunge at him once again, but she curbed the desire. There was no way she could win. Not in a three on one. 

"I don't like your games Obi-wan," she sang, the grip on her hilt tightening. "All this so you could see me in action?" A bark of laughter escaped her lips. "You should have just asked."

"I don't understand," Obi-wan replied with a shake of his head. "Right now you are completely consumed by the dark, just ten minutes ago you weren't!" Padmé narrowed her eyes to slits. "If this is the real Padmé, then why risk so much for Anakin?" He thrust a hand to the Jedi in question. "Why cause yourself damage just to bring a stop to the Emperor's reign? Why fight so hard for peace?" There was a strain behind his voice. Confusion and betrayal leaked out from behind his walls. 

Padmé paused for a minute to think about his words. Why had she done it all? Upon reflection, it all seemed so worthless. So meaningless. Anakin caught her gaze. The look on his face had shifted to one of curiosity, anticipation. In her mind she remembered peering into those eyes in the fields of Naboo under the cradling heat of the sun and on a soft blanket of grass. The anger fizzled out within her. Flicking off her lightsaber, she dropped it to the bed in front of her. "Those were things worth fighting for," she told him, her voice shifting back to its normal, graceful tone. Obi-wan seemed a bit shocked by the sudden change, rearing back slightly. Even Anakin startled, his face morphed in confusion. Only Yoda stared up at her unblinkingly. Padmé gripped at her shields and slammed them into place, locking the dark side from her mind. "I don't understand what you hoped to gain from all of this," she gestured between the four of them, "but I hope you found it." Padmé felt a twinge of pain in her shoulder and upon looking down she noticed her gown had become slick with blood. The vigorous movement must have torn open the remaining wound from her injury.

Obi-wan straightened up and dusted himself off. "Quite," he mumbled and turned to Anakin, "May I have a word with you?" 

"Of course master," Anakin agreed, sheathing his lightsaber. The pair slipped from the room, leaving Padmé alone with Yoda.


	12. Plan

Anakin wasn't sure what to think of the scene he had just witnessed unfold. Not even when fighting Sidious had Padmé shown such intense bloodlust. It was horrific. It sucked the very air from the room and left his thoughts completely scattered. Obi-wan pulled Anakin into a small, vacant hospital room. It looked identical to Padmé's, except it had no window on the opposite wall from the door. "What was that?" Anakin furrowed his brows at his mentor, pressing his hands onto his hips.

Obi-wan moved to the edge of the bed and pinched the bridge of his nose. With a heavy sigh, he explained, "Master Yoda and I have decided that the order needs to change." Anakin's eyes nearly bulged from his skull as he took a few steps towards his master. "There are many rules under review, but the one thing we know needs to happen is an adjustment of our services to the republic." Anakin crossed his arms over his chest. With the war over, the Jedi would have to learn to play a different roll in society. It was the only thing he had dreaded about the end of the war. "We are starting with redirecting resources to help those that can't help themselves. To stopping injustice," Obi-wan ran a hand down his beard.

"What has that got to do with Padmé?" Anakin asked, confusion twisting his expression. Until the two masters had walked in, they had been in the midst of an argument so his mind was already spinning before they had started playing games with one another. 

Obi-wan's eyes were weary as he scanned his former apprentice. Anakin had noticed something bothering his master, but he had assumed it was the devastation they were all feeling from the loss of so many Jedi. Of so many friends. Of so much family. "If we don't intervene, she will go to death row Anakin," Obi-wan's voice had a steady certainty to it that shook Anakin to his core. Of course he had known death was a possibility for Padmé, but he'd been pushing it out of his mind. Although she was a criminal and had done some horrific things, he still felt his heart ache for her when she wasn't there. The repulsion he felt for her was just as strong as the attraction. It kept him spinning in circles like a magnet. It was driving him insane. 

"You want to help her?" Anakin asked, hope fluttered like butterfly wings within his heart. If there was a chance her life could be saved, he would take it. Even if the woman he had loved for so many years was just a lie.

"Padmé was raised by Sidious. There's no telling how many awful things he did to twist her to the darkside. From the age of three he had been cutting and hacking at her personality to morph her into the evil she showed us just there," Obi-wan took in a deep breath and leant back onto his hands. "I think we are well within our right to claim she was not able to refuse her master's demands."

"Padmé said she was six," Anakin responded blankly, crossing his arms.

"I've been doing research over the last week," Obi-wan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Padmé's parents were killed when her home collapsed at the age of three and she was immediately taken in by Palpatine."

Anakin felt his blood go cold within him. That demon that Padmé had become must have been twisted out of her after years of pain and misery. It explained why she foolishly believed she was born evil. Gritting his teeth, anger blossomed within his chest. Obi-wan was right. Padmé must have been raised and conditioned to follow her masters lead. As far as he knew, the only time she had disobeyed Sidious was for him. "I understand," Anakin dipped his head. 

"My apologies for barging in on your conversation," Obi-wan sighed. "We wanted to see the extent of which we could anger her to use as proof in her case. We knew that if we caught her fighting with you, she would already be emotionally imbalanced and off guard." 

Anakin felt anger flare to life inside of him. So they used him. Again. Why was everyone using him like he was a simple droid. Before he could bite out anything to vicious, he thought of the potential good it could do Padmé. The rage mellowed to a dull hum. "Next time, ask." He snapped. Obi-wan looked away rather guiltily. Rubbing a hand down his face, Anakin shook his head, "what proof do we have already? The court date is only a few days away."

"I contacted some of the officials on Naboo and asked them to find any evidence of abuse," Obi-wan closed his eyes over and exhaled loudly. Anguish streamed from his mind. "They found a security holo from a few years ago in a silk farm Palpatine owns... it's horrific Anakin," his voice dimmed to a whisper.

Anakin shifted on his feet. "Show me."

Obi-wan nodded, "it would be for the best you had already seen it before we show the court." Anakin pressed his lips into a thin line. "After the reaction she just gave me, we don't know how she'll respond to being shown a snippet of her past. You will be isolated with her on one of the senatorial pods acting as her warden." Anakin's gut sank, he didn't want to see her so wound up again but he knew it would be in her best interest.

*

Padmé followed closely behind Anakin as they strode through the straight halls of the hospital. The scent of antiseptic burned in her nose. Streams of droids and people poured through the blue hallways. Their presences were all much brighter than she remembered. The small amount of force energy she allowed to flow through her illuminated even the dullest life form. It was overwhelming. Padmé's mind couldn't keep up with the huge numbers of beings they passed. So many different emotions. Pain, grief, anger, joy, it made one heck of a headache. They neared a bend into a quieter corridor. Anakin turned into it, glancing over his shoulder towards her. Padmé diligently followed behind him.

They tracked down the new corridor for a short while until the noise of the crowds faded behind them. Padmé ran a hand over the clothing she had been given. It was one of the suits she wore when taking to space for senatorial missions. It was grey with patches of white and clung tightly to her skin. It felt nice to finally be in normal clothes, not the huge maternity gowns she had been stuck sporting. Anakin stopped outside of a large door to the side of the hallway. Keeping his eyes trained in front of him, he raised his hand to glowing panel beside it. "Padmé, they are moving you to a cell later on today... I just thought you should see them whilst you still get the chance," he spoke softly. After he punched in a few numbers on the panel, the door slid open and they stepped in.

The room behind was dim and hundreds of tall box like containers rose from the ground. The domed top's were made from glass, revealing many different species of baby within. The glass reached her chest height, but the baby was lying on a platform that reached her hips. Most of the glass containers were darkened, but a few had a light source from below which illuminated the children. A nanny bot lay dormant in the corner of the room, its head tilted down.

Anakin weaved through the cribs and headed towards the back of the room. Padmé followed behind, but she already knew where she was going. The twins shone like a beacon. Upon their approach, two cribs lit up and revealed a set of small, pink babies. When one of them let out a soft gurgle, her stomach clenched. Anakin stopped between the two cribs, and turned to watch her. Cautiously, she approached one of the babies and leaned over the glossy surface. Instantly it's small chubby face lit up with a smile. Two blue eyes sparkled like diamonds. Padmé's heart melted. The tiny infant banged on her shields, so she widened them enough to let it in. Hopefully with time they would learn to control their impressive power and understand that all they needed to do was tap. The baby squealed in delight. A smile curved her own lips. "Hello, little-," she peered at the side of the crib to glance at the name plate. "Luke." Padmé placed a hand to the glass and the tiny infant reached up to grab at her. "Aren't you handsome?" she purred. The baby's smile faltered when it couldn't grasp at her fingers. "You already look like your father," she hummed. This made Luke giggle.

A gurgling noise from beside her drew her attention away from Luke. Slightly less hesitantly, she moved over to the other crib and leaned over its glass. As she did, she glanced at the name. Unlike the last baby, this one didn't immediately smile. Instead it peered up at her with inquisitive brown eyes. Padmé sucked in a breath. They looked startlingly like her own. "Hello, Leia," she greeted. Leia reached out a small chubby hand and pressed it against the glass, prompting Padmé to place her own over the top. Finally the baby's features lit up in delight. Leia's light bled into her mother's mind. "I can tell you're going to be a pretty one, drive all the boys mad." 

"Just like her mother then," Anakin retorted. Padmé pulled away from the babies and turned to him, unable to conceal the beaming smile on her face. The Jedi was standing with his arms crossed, watching her with a wry grin. Padmé couldn't sense the same anger as she had that morning when she woke up. In that moment, all she could feel was his pride of the two babies. 

"I seem to recall her father being quite the heartthrob himself," she playfully cocked an eyebrow. 

Anakin rolled his eyes. "My heart was only ever devoted to one," he responded in a feint whisper, turning to Luke and stroking the glass. The statement startled Padmé, rousing guilt within her. An awkward silence descended upon them until the baby girl gurgled again.

Padmé glanced down at Leia, who was still watching her intently. "How long do they have to be in here?" She asked, tracing the outline of the thick tufts of brown hair on the baby's head. They were already a week old, and Padmé's heart ached when she thought of all she had missed whilst submerged in a bacta tank. Without their constant light, she felt chillingly alone.

"Until the medical droids are satisfied that Sidious's lightning hasn't harmed them." Anakin responded calmly, but she could feel his protective nature swirling to the surface.

Padmé furrowed her brows and called upon the hazy memory of their fight. "The lightning didn't touch them," she told him. Anakin looked up from Luke towards her. "I didn't let it."

"That's good," he murmured, drawing circled on the glass and grinning in amusement when Luke continually tried to grab his fingers but couldn't. "The droids were scaring me with all the possible things that could go wrong," he let out a bitter laugh.

Padmé returned to Leia and observed her daughter quietly. Goodness knows if they would ever see each other again. At that though, her heart twisted and sadness pressed on her eyes. What right did she have to be sad? This was the path she had chosen, so she needed to walk it. Smothering the emotion down, she clung onto the glee that she could feel radiating from the babies. Absentmindedly, she began to hum beneath her breath. Leia's eyes twinkled with delight and she watched her mother with owlish eyes, but it wasn't long until the melodic tune caused her to loose her grip on consciousness. Luke was not far behind her. The moment they entered a slumber, the lights flickered off and concealed their tiny bodies. Even whilst asleep, they were nothing but little bundles of joy. 

When she pulled away from the crib, Anakin was watching her with saddened eyes. "I didn't know you could sing," he whispered softly. 

Padmé peered at him for a moment. "I haven't in years," she replied, pulling her brows together. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she had. It was a thought that startled her. Singing was an emotional pathway that led straight into your heart. There was no need for a sith to ever use their voice for something so vulnerable.

"Perhaps you should do it more often," Anakin suggested. "They seemed to like it," he gestured to the dark cribs. Padmé's sorrow bled into her mind. They wouldn't hear her voice again. Water built in her eyes. This was goodbye and they didn't even know it. Anakin stepped forwards and placed a hand on her shoulder. Padmé brought her eyes up to meet his. They were cracked with his own sadness. "Don't worry, you'll see them again. I promise." Padmé was confused by his sudden warmth, but she decided it was better not to question it.


	13. Court

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is potentially upsetting and graphic violence in this chapter. If you affected by that sort of thing, then I would advise skipping to the next chapter.

Padmé could feel her attention quickly draining away. Despite sitting on the central podium of the senatorial auditorium, her mind was elsewhere. The pressure of her skintight jumpsuit was a constant comfort under the eyes of hundreds. When she occasionally moved, the chains around her wrists would clink together. They were the root of her blindness. The force was silent around her. Not even the presence of the Jedi could be felt. Anakin was seated beside her, his eyes tracking the pod that floated in front of them. It contained a small team of prosecutors that were listing off all the charges against her. Having to sit and list her crimes was one thing, but to hear someone else speaking about them in such an objective manner was strange to her. A secret she had fought so hard to keep was being dictated to a room filled with people she spent years deceiving. 

The blinding lights that shone upon her restricted the number of faces she could make out. Only those in the boats circling around her could be seen in any great detail. Time ticked by slowly. Even when horrified gasps filled the room, she didn't bat an eyelid. Instead, she was plotting all the creative ways she could kill her master with the limited equipment in prison.

Padmé's attention was only grasped when Obi-wan moved himself forwards to speak. The Jedi stood tall in the spotlight, his pod hovered around hers and his back faced towards them. "Mrs Amidala has killed one of our own members of the Jedi Council," Obi-wan began, his head turning as he scanned the crowds below. "But I ask that you don't see Mrs Amidala as a loyal servant of Palpatine's, but instead his longest suffering victim." Padmé lurched forwards and flicked her eyes between Anakin and Obi-wan. A murmur spread across the hall. Anakin had his gaze trained on his old master, his jaw taught. Annoyance flickered within her. What was going on?

"Following the tragic death of her parents at the age of three, Mrs Amidala was taken in by Palpatine," Obi-wan announced. "It was at the age of five he began to manipulate and twist her mind," he thrust a hand towards her. "After suffering through an abusive childhood and years of constant trauma, he crafted her into a puppet that would obediently carry out his plans without any questions asked." Padmé's mouth fell open. Anakin still wouldn't look at her. A queasy tightness wrapped around her chest. "We managed to provoke the her from a state of placidity into a terrible rage within minutes, only with the topic of her youth being discussed. This is the way we believe Palpatine manipulates her into doing his bidding," each word he spoke spiked panic within her. So that was why he had been toying with her? To try and find the on and off switch? A dark rage began to boil in her chest. Padmé wasn't a droid. There was more depth to her relationship with her master than simple cause and effect. If Anakin sensed her rage, he didn't acknowledge it and just kept staring ahead.

"There are no words I can use that would describe the horrors she has been subjected to. The only way I can prove my claims is by showing you." A huge hologram flickered to life above her head and a smaller one appeared in front of their pod. It showed Sidious and Padmé standing side by side over a large tank of water. Inside it, hundreds of water serpents slid around one another, coiling their lengthy tails together. Padmé looked so young. The tight clothes she wore conflicted with the juvenile curve of her face. Palpatine had his hood drawn high over his head. Only a sliver of his features could be seen.

"No," Padmé murmured beneath her breath, shifting forwards in her seat. Before she could stand and object, Anakin placed a hand on her shoulder and held her into place. That earned him a harsh snarl.

"Don't watch it," Anakin whispered back. The pity with which he stared at her made her bite her tongue. Flashing a guilt stricken expression, he turned back to the hologram. Padmé could only stare at him in disbelief.

"I must warn you, this is no easy holo to view," Obi-wan told them, his voice holding a terrifying note of gravity. Gentle murmurs spread throughout the room.

The holo began to play. Padmé was leaning over a small fence, that kept her from falling in, and watching the water serpents with a wary expression. Sidious cast a hand over the snakes. "Do you know what these are?" His voice crackled Padmé could feel goosebumps erupting over her skin. 

"Of course I do," the young voice replied with a hint of indignation. "They are the snakes that stalk the swamps south of Theed," she peered up at her master with a frown.

"Indeed. They are brilliant for farming the fine silk they produce," he responded. Young Padmé appeared a little disgruntled by this because she already knew what he was telling her. What she couldn't figure out, was why. "They are also greatly feared however, the poison they contain is known to cause intense pain and in some cases death," the Sith folded his arms into his robes.

"I know, master. I've always been cautious of them," she responded evenly, lifting herself from the gate to stand straight before him.

"Good," Palpatine purred. "Then you'll also know it's incredibly toxic to Gungans, killing them within the hour?" He asked. A loud cry, that was not dissimilar so the wail of a wounded animal, caused both apprentice and master to turn their heads towards the source of the noise. A tall droid marched onto the holo, carrying a tiny gungan child in its arms. The young Padmé instantly stiffened up. The droid placed the infant at Sidious's feet and stood to attention. "Leave us," Sidious snapped. The droid bowed and proceeded to exit in the same direction it entered.

"Master, I-," the young Padmé began, only to be silenced by the lifting of her master's hand. Sullenly, she tilted her head to the floor. 

"Who is this boy?" Sidious asked, gesturing to the tiny infant on the floor. It peered between them with huge eyes and whimpered weakly beneath its breath. The little boy backed away from Padmé, hiding itself within the folds of Sidious's cloak. The Sith payed him no heed.

"I don't know, master," Padmé responded flatly, her face falling to a neutral position.

"Oh really?" Sidious hummed. Leaning down, the Sith scooped the small child up into his arms. "He seems to know you." Leaning the child closer to her, it let out a terrified scream and clung to his arms. The only part of Padmé that wasn't stone still, was her eyes. They watched the child with blank lenses. The present Padmé felt a cold tremor shake her body. No matter how it looked on the outside, she had been more terrified than the little gungan. When she didn't respond, Sidious flung the infant into the water. A collective gasp filled the auditorium air. "I thought I told you I didn't want any of those Gungans left alive," he hissed. The child wailed in the water and screamed as a serpent dragged him down into the depths of the pool.

Padmé's head turned to watch the ever shifting surface of the water. "I'm sorry, I didn't think a toddler posed much threat." The eyes that had once been glassy were cracking with emotion.

"Posed much threat?" Sidious's exclaimed, throwing his arms into the air. Long strips of fabric flapped with the movement. "That child saw you killing its parents. You risked revealing us to the Jedi!" His voice was no where near a shout, but much louder than his normal speaking volume.

"But he can barely talk!" Padmé answered back. "How could he have understood what he saw!" Finally her body burst into motion as she took a step towards her master and gestured to the small child that had still not surfaced.

"Don't be naive!" Sidious hissed back. Leaning back on his heels, he pointed a gnarled finger to the water, "if you want him alive so badly, then save him." Hesitantly, she turned and leaned over the edge of the water but did not move. “Do it!” Sidious barked. Throwing her hands out over its surface, she squeezed her eyes shut. The Sith turned on his heels and strode out of the holo. Just as the infants body burst from the water, a loud bang vibrated through the speakers. 

Dropping the child safely onto the floor, she turned and stared at something unseen. "No," she mumbled beneath her breath. The infant wailed as she ran to the edge of the screen and began pounding on an invisible wall. The holo sped up, showing her scurrying around like mime trying to find his way out of an invisible box. It was useless. No matter how hard she pulled with the force or how throughly she checked, there was no escape. As Padmé sat watching her younger-self run from wall to wall, she felt the same suffocating desperation. In her mind, she could picture the towering walls of the warehouse around her. The only light shining from the vat of serpents. The incessant wailing of the child. 

Eventually she gave up and sat down by the mouth of the tank. Slumping against the bars, she dragged a hand down her face. The infant was curled in a ball by her side, its breath raspy and uneven. Padmé stared down at the little boy, "I'm sorry. You are going to die in here," she told it bluntly. The boy’s wailing hitched as he spluttered over a cough. "Look on the bright side, you'll see your family again." 

The kid's crying dimmed a bit as it peered up at her. "Messa gonna see-en mama?"

"And papa," She hummed in response. The child shakily picked itself up to its feet and toddled over to her. It rasped out a series of harsh coughs and tried to wrap its arms around her neck. Padmé used a hand to push it off her, "no." She snapped. The baby dropped back down to sit by her side and stifled a few pathetic whimpers. Padmé reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose before grabbing the baby and holding it against her chest. They stayed like that for some time. The child's breath became more laboured and grew quickly raspier. Padmé began to hum a soft melody beneath her breath and held the infant close. The same one she'd sung to her own children.

As the older Padmé watched the hologram, a tremble claimed her body. With her head craned up to stare at the holo, her mouth was still hanging open. There was the distinct sound of horrified whispers spreading throughout the senate.

Eventually, the rasping shuddered to a stop. Padmé let out a weary sigh. The child fell limp in her arms. Turning over herself, she gently placed the body on the ground. It wasn't long until a loud bang erupted from the silent speakers. Little Padmé didn't even flinch and her eyes didn't lift from the small body. Palpatine strode in, his black cloak swished around his feet. Stopping in front of her, he reached down and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You could have prevented this," he hissed. "If only you had killed him, he wouldn't have been forced to experience such a brutal death."

The young Padmé kept her head hung. "I'm sorry, master." She replied in a voice devoid of emotion. "I won't disobey you again." 

"Good," Palpatine let out a vicious cackle. With a pat on her back, he began stalking away. Padmé rose to her feet, the look on her face inscrutable. Halting, the Sith turned back towards her and with a flick of his wrist he flung her through the railing, into the pool of serpents.

The hologram dissolved. The senate was left in silence. Padmé was breathing hard. Too many emotions were boiling away inside her mind. Anakin was completely still beside her, his eyes fixed on the floor. "Mrs Amidala," Obi-wan spoke into the mic, jarring her concentration. "Would you please answer a few questions I have." Sucking in a deep breath, she pushed the emotions from her mind. They could be dealt with later. What she needed to focus on was getting to her master. Rising to her feet, she placed her quivering hands on the tall podium in front of her. "What age were when this took place?" He asked, his soft eyes meeting her own.

Padmé hardened her stare. Whatever games he was playing, she was through with it. "Eleven," she answered curtly.

"What had happened to the family of the gungan child?" Obi-wan pressed further.

"I killed them," she responded sharply. 

"Because your master told you to?" He continued.

"Yes," she responded.

"Why did he want them dead?" Obi-wan leant down on his hands. Padmé had to pause and wrack her mind for the answer. It was a long time in the past. The chains clinked as she shifted her grip.

"They refused to move from their homes and he wanted to build a laboratory on their land." Padmé responded evenly.

"What happened to you directly after the holo cut off?" Obi-wan asked, his intense eyes still focused upon her. The memory of a horrific pain burning in her lungs sprung to mind. Teeth sinking deep into her skin. Water flooding her eyes and nose. Choking. Only her sheer rage gave her enough strength to clamber from that vat. Biting down in her lip, she drew her mind from the memory.

"I climbed out the water and went back," she responded evenly. Pain burned in her lungs like an image floating in her peripheral vision. Once again, she swatted it from her mind. That could be dealt with later. 

"Back to Palpatine?" Obi-wan spoke. 

"Yes," she replied sharply, trying to keep her mind blank. The memories were creeping into her subconscious, but she couldn't face them. Not now.

"Even with, I'm assuming, the serpent venom coursing through your veins?" Obi-wan inquired.

"Yes." A feint pain burned in her muscles.

"Thank you, Mrs Amidala," Obi-wan nodded to her. Padmé sat back down and clenched her jaw tightly. Anakin shifted his weight in his seat. Fury fizzled away inside her mind, but the memory circled around her like a vulture. It snapped and cawed at her whenever she took her attention off the words being said. "As it is clear to see, Palpatine has been twisting her mind for years. How could we send her to death row, when the life she has led so far has not even been her own?"

*

Luckily for Padmé, the court was set for a short break not long after Kenobi spoke. The cuffs around her wrists clinked as she strode into her old office. It had been cleaned up, but was left barren and bare. Aside from the long desk in the centre of the room and the small square of couches tucked away in the corner, the only feature of note it held was the tall windows that peered over the city skyline. Daylight poured into the office. Running her hands through her hair, she made her way to the back corner of the room and stared out at the bustling traffic below. Anakin, who had stepped into the office behind her, loitered by the desk. "Padmé," He whispered her name. 

"Don't," she snapped harshly. The memory was still pushing at the corners of her mind. If she lost focus for even a moment, she could hear the baby Gungan's raspy breaths. A cold shake rattled her body.

The door let out a whoosh as another person stepped into the room. Padmé closed her eyes over and tried to focus on keeping her breathing steady and deep. To her very core, she was unnerved. That holo had yanked the lid off her memory and now it was gleaming in front of her very eyes. It took every inch of her focus to push it away, but it just kept coming back. "Padmé, I'm very sorry you had to see that. Believe me, we didn't want to show it," Obi-wan's voice hit her like a sharp gust of wind to an already fragile frame.

Padmé turned slowly towards him, clenching her teeth hard. With her vision unsteady, hazing in and out of focus, she found it hard to pick out his face from such a distance. "Did you..." she trailed off, fighting away the image of the Gungan's head being dragged beneath water. "Did you find that satisfying, Kenobi?" Her own voice was painfully quite, but deadly sharp. Finally her eyes settled upon his face. It twisted in confusion. The two Jedi traded an uneasy glance. Padmé began to clench her fist and concentrated on the way it felt as her nails dug into the palm of her hand. Lifting her head, she strode towards him and only stopped when she reached the desk . "To see me so weak? To make me look like nothing more than a pathetic, frightened child?" The screams of a dying baby rattled her brain. Once again, she coiled her hand tighter. The sharp pain tugged her mind back to her body.

"Padmé," Anakin spoke her name softly and placed a hand on her shoulder. Unconsciously, she flinched beneath his touch. "We didn't want to-,"

"Then why?" she growled beneath her breath and reached out a hand to the table beside her. The gaunt features of her master poked out beneath a dark hood. 

Obi-wan took a few cautious steps towards her with his arms raised in defence. "It was necessary," he explained in a low and soothing voice. "We couldn't let the senate convict you without knowing the truth. It wouldn't be fair to let you end up on death row."

Padmé's eyes narrowed at Kenobi's. They were blue. A deep sapphire blue. In a vein attempt to once again keep her head to herself, she tried to think of the crystalline waters of Naboo. It just brought her the sight of the thrashing black water containing hundreds of slimy serpents. "I wanted to go to death row!" She shouted, a burst of frantic energy coursed through her body.

"But you wouldn't be able to see your children grow up?" Obi-wan's voice was a little sterner, his brows pulled together. 

"It's for the children!" Padmé yelled, taking a quick step towards him. Anakin gripped her shoulders. For a moment she was flying back through the air. Water slapped hard against her skin. It took her a moment to find her train of thought, leaving Obi-was to stare at her in bewilderment. "My master is cruel, vindictive, and that prison won't hold him for long," she threw an arm in the general direction of the high security Couresant prison Sidious had been sent to. "Who do you think his first target will be when he breaks out?" Her voice dipped into a ugly snarl. "If I am going to rot behind bars, I might as well be making sure that filth can never escape!" Anakin's grip tightened, causing a wheezing gasp to escape her lips, but she didn't fight against him.

"Padmé, you need to stay as far away from him as possible," Anakin's voice washed over her, but it sounded distant. Faded. "There's no telling how much more harm he could inflict on you." Electricity crackled over her skin. A maniacal cackle fizzled in her ears.

Padmé felt her gaze wavering. It was becoming harder and harder to recognise the pressure of Anakin's hands on her shoulders. "What my master did..." for a moment, she could hear his voice whispering in her ear. It made her shudder, and her breathing hitched. "He did it for me. To give me power," it sounded like someone else was speaking. The memory kept tugging.

"How can you think like that?" Obi-wan's voice was airy and ethereal, but just present enough for her to hear. "That man did nothing but torture you for years. Sith or not, it was plain cruelty."

Padmé felt tears welling in her eyes. "If I don't..." she choked back a sob. "If he didn't... then everything I went through, all the people I lost, all of them, was for nothing!” She yelled. The world shifted around her. Suddenly she was running around in a dark warehouse, banging against the walls. The gungan child's wails pierced her to her very soul. Voices were calling her name, but she couldn't recognise them. Hot tears tracked down her cheeks. "Hospital," she whispered beneath her breath, "he needs a hospital," her voice cracked.

Two hands gripped her shoulders. The faces of two blue eyed men blurred in front of her. Padmè could only shake her head and back away. They were speaking, but she didn't understand. Grasping at the sides of her face, she was halted when she ran into something solid behind her. It let out a loud bang. With a startled scream she dropped to the floor and curled in on herself. Squeezing her head between her legs did little to drown out the bubbling wails that erupted from beneath water. 

The child's raspy breathing rattled through her whole body as she cuddled him close. All she could do was sit and wait hopelessly. "I'm sorry," her voice trembled. "It's my fault. I'm sorry." More tears pooled down her cheeks. A raspy cry sounded from her chest. "You're dying like this because of me," her sides began to ache. The breaths she sucked in were painfully laboured. "I'm sorry. I can't help you." Thoughts whizzed through her head. The child in her arms spluttered and coughed. His soaked clothing seeped dampness into her own, leaving her cold and trembling. The serpents splashed and thrashed in the water behind her. All she could do was whimper when his coughing fits became more intense. They caused his whole body to fit and shudder. Padmé cradled him tighter to her chest. His breath was ragged and uneven, growing worse and worse, until eventually it stopped altogether. The small boy noiselessly thrashed for a few moments until he fell limp. Padmé's sobs became more violent. "He's dead. I'm sorry," she whimpered. All she could do was hold on to the lifeless body. "I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve this."

A door whooshed, making her shudder. The revolting presence of her master filled the air like a toxic gas. "I'm sorry master," she spoke softly. "I was weak. So weak. I'm sorry." A malicious cackle escaped her master's deathly pale features. With a flick of his hand, she was sent plummeting to the Serpent infested water. She couldn't breath. Her chest grew painfully tight. The serpents' skin slid and brushed over her skin. The shimmering light from above was blocked out by long, winding snakes. Padmé couldn't tell which way was up. All she could do was flail. A sharp nip on her arm drew a scream from her lips. Cold water flooded into her mouth. It lodged itself in her lungs and burned in her throat. Kicking hard, more bites drew pained cries from within her. "Can't breathe. Can't breath." Pressure built on her temples. The corners of her vision were fading black. The surface broke over her face. Padmé drew in a deep gasping breath. More snakes latched onto her legs. 

Using her fear and terror, she drew all the dark power she had to her aid. With it, she was able to pull herself up onto the ledge and roll out of the water. The few snakes still holding on released her and flailed helplessly on the floor. Padmé coughed and spluttered. Every breath she took eased the burning pain in her lungs. Pushing herself to her feet, she took a few staggering steps forwards. A fresh pain began to ache in her muscles. Ignoring it, she pushed onwards and out into the sweltering heat of the Nabian sun. 

Through a blur of green and brown, she could see her master's dark cloak flared out from the back of a speeder as he vanished into the distance. A sharp pain shot through her. Padmé collapsed to her knees and curled in on her stomach. The burning intensified in her muscles. "It hurts," She wheezed. The pain only grew more intense, until she was once again gasping for breath. "Make it stop," a few more tears leaked from her eyes. "Please make it stop." It didn't, she lay curled there for what felt like hours. The throbbing pain gave her no relief. Breaking out into a sweat, her body was overheating fast. The tall grasses around her tickled at her skin. "Too warm." No matter what she did, it still sizzled inside her veins. Eventually the pain began to fade, allowing her to pick herself up from the ground and start an arduous trek back to her master.

Slowly, Padmé came back to her present self. Trembles shook her from head to toe. In her chest, her heart was pounding so hard it made her whole body rock. The breaths she took were ragged and shallow. Wet tears clung to her cheeks. Pressure inflated behind her brows and nose. Her eyes were dry and itchy, but still pooling with water. A bitter-sweet scent drifted past her nose. She became acutely aware of someone cradling her close the their chest. A low lub-dub sang to her softly. The room was dim, filled with orange light. An arm was wrapped around her shoulder. Padmé had wrapped her own arms around the other one, squeezing it tightly against her chest. Darkly clothed legs lay to either side of her. It took her a moment to realise it was Anakin. 

Padmé knew she should pull herself from his arms, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. The warmth he cradled her in was soothing. The gentle whooshing of his breath pacified her hammering heart rate. Prying her arms open, she eased her grip on his arm. With his free hand, Anakin gently began stroking her back. The cuffs around her wrists were gone. The force was flowing gently through her cracked walls. It was them, just them, in the room. Padmé squeezed her eyes shut. A few more warm tears slid down her cheeks. Sniffling, she focused on steadying her uneven breath. "It's okay Padmé," his voice rumbled in his chest. "You're not there anymore. It's over." They stayed like that for a for a long while. Focusing on the thrumming of his heart beat, time seemed to slip away. The office dimmed to a dusky light. It took too long for her liking, but the trembling became less intense and her breathing settled back into its natural rhythm.

Padmé pushed herself out of his arms and turned to look at him. Anakin was sitting with his back leaning against the front of the desk. A slick coating of tears made his cheeks twinkle. From deep within him, guilt freely flowed. Staring at her intently through half lidded eyes, he lifted his human hand to place it gently on her cheek. With his thumb, he tenderly brushed away a tear that slid from her eye. "How have you kept that hidden for so long?" Anakin murmured.

Padmé's brows pulled together. Standing to her feet, she swiped the remaining tears from her face. "It wasn't an issue until now," she replied gently. The world spun around her, so she perched on the edge of the desk. In truth, Padmé had never had such a volatile reaction to a memory. They had always lingered in the back of her mind and even forced her to concentrate on blocking them, but she had always had a place she could shove them and lock them up when they got too close. 

Anakin lifted himself to his feet with a hefty grunt and sat on the desk beside her. It groaned under their weight. "You use the force to shut them out, didn't you? It's a technique Jedi who have been through torture and trauma use to cope" He commented. "That's why..." he trailed off and pointed to the pair of cuffs Padmé had been wearing that were discarded on the floor.

"I suppose I did," she responded, wrapping her arms around herself. The room had grown cold and she found herself missing his embrace. The light of day was being blotted out by the darkness of nightfall. When she spoke, her voice crackled and her throat ached. It felt like she had been screaming. Perhaps she had. "What..." Padmé trailed off, biting down on her lower lip. Anakin peered around at her, his sullen eyes rested on her features. "What just happened?" She wasn't sure if she wanted to know. 

Anakin's lips tugged downwards. Quickly, he pulled his gaze away from hers, but she saw the tears brimming his eyes. "I have seen that kind of thing happen to veterans," his voice fell to a nearly inaudible whisper. "You were yelling at Obi-wan and then you started spacing out," Anakin crossed his arms over his chest. "We didn't know what to do," his voice wavered. "You started crying and screaming," a tight grimace twisted his face when he turned to her. "You were shouting about stuff we didn't understand." He paused for a beat. "You collapsed to the floor. Nothing we said was reaching you." Padmé was shocked because she hadn't heard them at all. "Obi-wan had to return to court. You... begged me to make the pain stop, but as far as I could tell there was nothing hurting you." For a moment, he squeezed his eyes shut and sucked a deep breath in through his nose. Anakin clenched his jaw and stared her in the eyes. "It wasn't your fault Padmè. That boy's blood isn't on your hands," he kept his voice soft, but the firmness behind it startled her. "You were just trying to do the right thing."

Padmé lifted her hand and waved him off. "I don't want to argue Anakin," there was a slight wheeze to her voice.

Taking in another deep breath, he nodded his head. "I should check in with Obi-wan and see if the court has made it's decision," he replied in a monotone voice and lifted his wrist to his mouth. Pressing down on a small button that was stuck to the back of his gauntlet, it began to buzz. A few short moments later and a small hologram of Obi-wan flickered to life on her wrist. Padmé stopped herself from cringing at the hazy blue image. 

"Anakin," the master greeted, standing tall with his arms clasped behind his back. "Is everything all right?" He asked, cocking a brow.

"Yes, we are all okay now," he responded curtly. "How is court going?"

"It's been adjourned," Obi-wan shifted his weight. "Padmé is to be sent to the Couresant central prison, the same as Palpatine, but she will be held in the psychiatric Ward until she has been deemed stable enough to return to society." He explained. Padmé couldn't help the sinking feeling in her gut. It was good at least, that she would still be in the same vicinity as her master. It would allow her to keep a better eye on him than if she was on the other side of the planet. "No death row." 

Anakin let out an audible sigh. "That's good. That's great," he ran a hand through his hair. Padmé felt a twinge of guilt within her. Never before had she assumed her sentence would affect him. A selfish thought perhaps, but she had always thought he would be glad to see her gone. "It payed off," his voice rumbled lowly. Padmé wasn't sure she would agree, but she held her tongue.

"Yoda and I have also come to our decision on Jedi having relationships," Obi-wan continued. Anakin sat up straight, his eyes flicking over to her. "Although you disobeyed the order and got married, it came with some benefit. A sith that puts other people before themselves." He paused for a moment. "More of a defecting Sith... but your love is something unique," he paused for a moment, raising a hand to stroke his beard. "We want to take a chance on allowing attachments. For now, at least." He told them.

A sad smile curled Anakin's lips. "Thank you," he spoke sincerely. Obi-wan dipped his head, and the transmission cut off. 

"How curious," Padmé commented. "The Jedi changing their ways. That's not something I thought I'd ever see."

Anakin chuffed a laugh, "me either."


	14. Luke and Leia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The sequel is out!

Padmé felt the chain's around her wrists clink as she walked. The short and rounded warden beside her happily chatted away about her children at home. Excitement buzzed through her veins and pumped a skip into her step. They were walking through a condensed and narrow corridor. The rim of a door was illuminated in front of them. Stopping by it, Padmé offered up her wrists to the warden. "Okay honey, you have half an hour," the warden hummed and slotted a small card into the metal. With a click, the cuffs popped open and the force rushed in. Just beyond the door, three beaming suns eclipsed every other being around them. A smile tugged up the corners of her lips. With that, the warden turned to the door and hauled it open. Padmé didn't even wait for it to be fully open before she stepped in. 

"Mummy!" Two small voices shrieked in delight. Padmé barely had any time to brace herself before two toddlers crashed against her legs. Crouching down to their level, she enveloped them into her arms. All she could do was laugh when the little male toddler burst into tears. The door clicked shut behind her.

"I missed you too," She hummed, bringing her hands up to cup the backs of their heads. The white room they were in was small, only large enough to fit a human length bench with adjoining seats. Sitting on the opposite side of the bench from her was Anakin. A lopsided grin lit his face as he peered over at the twins. Pulling away from Luke, she reached out and brushed a tear away from under his watery blue eyes. A mop of sandy blonde hair sat atop his head. It sometimes startled her how much he looked like his father.

"You'll never guess what mommy," Leia grasped at Padmé's arm and bounced on the balls of her feet. The little girl had long brown hair pulled neatly back into a tight braid at the base of her neck. The lapels of her Jedi youngling robes were tugged out of place and her tunic was slightly askew. Luke burried his face into the crook of his mothers neck.

"What?" Padmé asked, raising her pitch to match the excitement of the child. 

Leia yanked her braid over her shoulder, "daddy did it." The toddler let out a giggle and presented the plat in her stubby hands.

Padmé ran a finger over the tightly folded sections of hair with one hand and gently rubbed at Luke's back with the other. "You're getting better," She hummed, lifting her eyes to Anakin.

Despite the proud smile in his face, he sat back and shrugged. "I had a good teacher," he commented. 

Padmé shook her head and collected one twin into each arm. Standing up, she set them down on the table and slotted herself onto the seat across from Anakin. "How did the mission to Florrum go?" She cocked a head to the side. Leia picked up one of the long curls that rested on Padmé's shoulder and twirled it around her fingers. Luke began clambering off the edge of the table.

Anakin blew out a puff of air. "We kept getting dragged into the pirate's petty dispute with the Kamonians," he responded, reaching out a hand to help Luke descend into Padmé's lap. "I'm sorry we were gone for so long. It was the bloody pirates shady dealing that kept causing problems."

"Language," she scolded him, wrapping an arm around Luke who was clinging onto her shoulders. Anakin raised his palms in surrender. "It's alright. I'm just happy to see them now," she chirped. After catching sight of what Leia was doing, Luke began to fiddle with her hair and wrap her curls around his tiny fingers. It wasn't often Padmé let her hair down, so she supposed it explained their fascination.

"Is there any news of you release?" Anakin asked, leaning his head into his hands. Padmé knew he had already heard the news because his presence was beaming with a smug joy. 

"I'll be sent onto probation in three months," she admitted. 

"Hear that kids! Mummy is getting out in three months!" Anakin cheered. The two toddlers shrieked in delight and flung themselves at Padmé, nearly knocking her off her seat. It scared her that she had once been so willing to put her life on death row just to make sure her master died. Even although they were in the same prison, her master was locked away in isolation. There was no chance for her to ever see him. 

One thing she could see, was her children. If that meant she had to play along with the psychiatrist's mind games, then so be it. Or at least, that's what she told herself. It had been a harrowing journey, but she had noticed small shifts in her outlook on life. Quite recently she found herself recovering from a flashback with her heart set on the resolution that it wasn't her fault. That no matter what she had done, her master would have found a way to hurt her. Padmé had stopped obsessing over all the things that went wrong during order sixty-six. It was in the past and it would do her no good to torture herself with it. Some concepts, she couldn't bring herself to really accept even if she claimed she did. The psychiatric team she worked with were always insistent that Padmé wasn't born evil. That the awful thing she did were a by-product of Sidious's teachings. Yet she knew that no baby born of the light would ever kill its own parents. If the twins had enough sentience to want to ease her pain before they were even born, then Padmé knew enough at the age of three to commit murder. 

In retrospect, she did her best not to think of the past and focus on the future. On her babies. Although some things might never be the same in her life, it could have turned out a lot worse.


	15. Alternate End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I am obsessed with this story and have been thinking about it quite a bit since I completed it. It got me thinking, what if Anakin had caught Padmé on Mustafar? I guess you could say this last portion of the story is a fanfic of a fanfic, written by the same person. 
> 
> If you haven’t, I would highly suggest you read the sequel and then come back to the alternate end for the sake of continuity and because there might be spoilers in this new section of the story.

Padmé sat in one of the many chairs that surrounded a long conference table. The large room had big arching windows that peered out across a red, churning landscape. Black heaps of charred earth supported huge machines that dipped in and out of the magma. In the corner of her vision she could see her silvery ship waiting patiently on the landing platform and she itched to return to it.

The black, flowing robes she wore made the heat almost unbearable. Only the cooling touch of darkside on her mind her eased her discomfort. All around the floor lay the mutilated bodies of the tradecraft federation leaders. In her hand, she gripped a circular projector that displayed an image of her master. The hood of his cloak was pulled down over his face and his hands were clasped together in front of his stomach. Only the distinctive curve of his nose could be seen poking out from underneath his dark apparel. "It is done," he hummed. Padmé felt relief flood her system. "I have been titled emperor." 

"So we can finally begin our reconstruction of the senate?" She asked, leaning forwards.

"Indeed," his voice rattled and wheezed. "I trust you have disposed of the separatists?"

"Yes, master," she replied. "I have been waiting anxiously for your call." Indeed, it had been several hours of pacing and meditating. The thrill that buzzed in her veins was itching to be let loose once again. Slaying the scum at her feet had hardly been a challenge. Now, she longed to find larger prey. A burst of anger nearby caught her attention. A lone ship was steadily lowering to the ground. 

"Return to Couresant. I have need of you here." Palpatine informed her, twisting his palms together. Within seconds of it landing, a distant figure sprung from the hull. Black robes flared out behind him as he pelted towards the building. 

Padmé rose to her feet. A burst of panic brought her heart rate dangerously high. "Master, Anakin is here!" she spoke in a frenzied shout.

"My, my," her master sighed. "Well then, I do suggest you start running."

Padmé flicked her eyes to her master's hologram. Still standing there, he let out a low chuckle. Padmé hissed through her teeth and crushed the projector in one hand. Of course, it made sense why her master had kept her on Mustafar long after her mission was completed. If Sidious wanted to cleanse the temple, Anakin couldn't be there to defend it. The troopers would never be able to best him. She was the perfect bait.

Scanning the window, her blood ran cold when she realised he was nowhere to be seen. That burning light of his had morphed into a volatile thunderstorm and was bearing down on her fast. Throwing the communicator to the floor, she barged through an open doorway and into the control room of the mining facility. Hundreds of switches flickered and blipped on the panels lining the room. There was a glass doorway that lead out onto an overseer's balcony. Taking in a sharp breath, she ran towards it and flung it open. Unbearably thick air slammed into her, burning her skin.

Padmé had only gotten one foot out the door and onto the mesh platform when she felt the force wrapping around her body. No matter how she struggled, it held her perfectly still. Stiffly lifting her head to look over her shoulder, her heart seized in her chest. Anakin stood in the doorway to the control room, a trembling hand held out towards her. There was a scowl etched into his features so menacing that it sent shocks of cold running across her skin. "You're a liar, a traitor!" He roared, his temper spinning wildly out of control. Those words hit her like a slap to the face. 

Anakin's force grip began to tug her towards him. Padmé dug her heels into the ground and strained against the hold. "It's in the name of peace, Anakin. People would never relinquish their aggressions unless they are forced to do so," she hissed back, calling on the darkside. The lightsaber clipped to her belt began to wiggle upwards. "It's no different from the hundreds of war crimes you Jedi have committed." Padmé let out a wheezing grunt, her feet began slipping towards him.

"The Jedi serve the people. Protect them. The sith only care for themselves." Anakin roared back. An ugly sneer warped his features. "You are deluded. There will always be a rebellion against dictatorship. Your little plot will never work."

"I wouldn't expect a brute like you to understand," she snapped back. Rage of her own sizzled in her chest. How could he ever understand the meaning of peace when all he knew was the battlefield? Anakin's temper rattled like a pot boiling over.

Finally her lightsaber sprung from her belt. With some focus, she ignited it and sent it sailing through the air in a spinning arc towards him. Anakin ducked out its path, releasing his grasp on her. The scarlet blade tore across the control panel and curved back around to her, extinguishing itself in the process. The weapon landed back in her palm, allowing her to take a few steps backwards onto the balcony and break out into a sprint. It wasn't long until thundering steps that rattled the rickety metal flooring were chasing after her. Loud, droning alarms blared. Red lights pinned to the walls began flashing. Padmé could feel him gaining on her at a terrifying speed. 

Ahead of her, the walkway took a sharp turn. A waist height, crisscrossed fence cradled the bend. Large chunks of machinery were falling from the cliff face, that the walkway hugged, towards the boiling rivers below. The magma curved around blackened banks and flowed past the landing platform where her glorious ship awaited. 

Before she could make it to the fencing, he caught up. Twirling on her heels, she ignited her crimson blade and slashed it towards him. Anakin caught it and the pair began to viciously trade blows. Padmé had always wondered what it would be like to face him head on in lightsaber combat. This was never what she had imagined.

Ducking below a few strikes, she was forced to retreat backwards. Anakin's sheer strength was terrifying. Every time their blades connected it felt as though her bones were jolted inside of her. Only the darkside kept her arms steady as she fended him off. With a few more steps, she reached the fence. Thrusting her hand out and manoeuvring the force, she sent a wave of power crashing towards him. It threw him off balance, causing him to stagger backwards. Padmé jumped onto of the fence and flipped back over her feet.

The world spun around her, but within seconds she landed on one of the tall spires that was falling down towards the magma below. The long plat of her hair slapped against her back. The sharp decent made her stomach flip. The boiling river below was approaching with a frightening speed. Padmé's thoughts turned to her child. This needed to end. 

A thud behind her told her Anakin was hot on her tail. Batting away one of his strikes, she ran up the length of the spire. The metal groaned as the bottom of the tower became submerged in the river. Spotting a large transport platform that hovered over the magma, she leapt and used her power to propel herself forwards. Landing clean on the platform, she turned to watch as the spire was submerged in molten magma. Padmé's heart leapt into her mouth. Anakin jumped from the tower just in time and landed on a small hover droid.

The tiny droid he stood on floated increasingly closer to her transport. Padmé's chest was heaving and a dull ache throbbed within her muscles. A slick sheen of sweat coated her skin. The heat from below roasted her alive. Anakin's tousled hair was blown from his face as he slowly drew nearer. Padmé stepped back towards the end of her platform, her crimson blade still angled towards him. The landing pad was close by, just around the next bend. The darkside thrummed within her as she urged her transport to move faster. "Why did you knock me out Padmé?" Anakin shouted, grasping her attention. The way he spat her name from his mouth like poison twisted her heart, but she deserved it. All of his anger and pain was her fault.

"To get you out of the way," Padmé felt the lie slip easily from her tongue, though she wished it wouldn't. "The clones could never vanquish the temple if you were defending it." Anakin's anger bore down on her. That brilliant white light of his was marbled with darkness. What was she doing? This was exactly what she didn't want to happen. It was clear her presence around him was toxic. Without her, he never would have felt the tug of the darkside. Palpatine would never have been able to manipulate him so easily.

"Stop lying to me!" He cried, bearing his teeth like a rabid animal. "You didn't know Palpatine wanted to destroy the Jedi until after you took me down." Padmé's blood ran cold. How could he possibly know that? How much did he know? How could she possibly answer without telling him the truth? Anakin took her silence as defiance. "I saw the security holos of your talk with your master," he sneered. "How long have you been in league with him?" Padmé could sense there was something he was scared to find out. Something he could bring himself to say.

Padmé narrowed her eyes. "Ask me what you really want to know."

Anakin clenched his jaw. "W-was any of it real?" He was shouting so loud that his voice was tearing.

Yes, oh gosh yes. It had been so real it hurt. Loving him hadn't been planned, but was the greatest decision of her life. Padmé found herself head over heels before she'd realised what hit her. Before him, any relationship she had was for her own gain. For her master's gain. Before him, she hadn't known what love really was. By choosing to get so close, she had risked everything. Sidious has berated her for weeks after he discovered their marriage, not that it phased her at all. 

"No. I was repulsed by the idea of us together, but my master gave me no choice. Palpatine assured me the pain would be beneficial in the long run," she snapped. Hurt leaked out from within his walls. Guilt churned in her stomach, but it had to be done. If Anakin was to see her as completely evil, he could remain true to the light side and dogmatic Jedi ways. It would be easier for him to move on if he despised her every breath anyway. Most importantly, it meant her master could never use her to manipulate him again. "You were a great pawn," the aggression in her voice took even her by surprise. As they rounded a bend, the landing platform came into view. "You couldn't help but spill all the Jedi secrets we needed. It's pitiful really." It should have scared her how easily she could speak such hateful words, but the evil within was too lively to care. Once again the darkness tightened its grip around him, alarming her. "Don't you think it's convenient that I am still on Mustafar when I could already be back on Couresant?" She asked, throwing her arms into the air. 

Anakin's expression shifted into confusion. "What?" he snapped. Despite the anger thrashing around in him like a wounded beast, his body had gone unnaturally still.

"Like I said, we needed you out of the way," she reiterated, shifting her grip on her weapon. They were nearly directly below the platform. "I have no doubt the clones are pillaging your precious temple as we speak."

With a bark of rage, he lunged forwards and jumped towards her. At the same time Padmé leapt from the platform onto the gravel banks nearby. Not looking back, she scrambled up its crumbling surface and jumped up onto the large, circular landing pad. There was a loud crunch behind her. Breaking into a sprint, she ran towards her nabian spacecraft. Anakin's smaller ship was resting beside her own. R2D2 was on the floor, milling around the wing and repairing some light damage with tiny little mechanical arms. Padmé allowed all her rage and torment free. The darkside flared to life around her. Reaching her hand out, his ship quivered as she began pulling it from the ground.

R2D2 let out a beep and suddenly a huge spout of dark oil burst out from within his tiny body. Padmé was running so fast that she had no time to avoid it. It landed in front of her in a puddle of glossy darkness. The moment she skidded into the inky liquid, her feet slipped out from beneath her. Instantly, she released the ship and tried to use the force to break her fall, but it wasn't enough. Her body collided hard with the floor, her head smacking back against the solid surface. A terrible ache pounded in her skull. White spots danced before her eyes.

Before she could reorient herself, her light sabre was tugged from her belt and two hands coiling around her neck. Anakin crouched over her body, his dark eyes leering down at her. She slammed her walls down. His grip was tense, but not yet cutting the airflow. His presence was nearly completely black and tainted by evil. Padmé grasped his wrists tightly, levelling her glare with his own. Her legs desperately tried to find purchase on the ground to kick him away, but they repeatedly slipped on the oil and offered her no escape. Her heart thundered in her chest. Murderous intent leaked out from behind his mental walls. "So all the time we spent together, all the times you said you loved me, meant nothing?" his voice was a low, chesty growl.

"Yes," she hissed. "A little bit slow on the uptake, aren't you?" Anakin's jaw clenched. The hands wrapped around her throat tightened. Her breaths became raspy and strained. Her lungs burned in her chest. Cold horror bubbled up within her. "If you kill me, I won't be the only one who dies," she wheezed, narrowing her eyes at him. Anakin's eyes flicked down to her stomach, widening completely. His lips curled downwards. He dropped down to his knees, still straddling her waist. Releasing her throat, he roughly grabbed her forearms and pinned them to the floor by her aching head.

"Padmé, you still haven't answered my question," he spoke in a guttural snarl. "Why did you knock me out? You did it free of your master's command, so there must have been something in it for you." Padmé broke out into a cold sweat but her face remained fierce. Her mind scrambled desperately for an excuse. Anakin's eyes narrowed. "Caught in your little web of lies?" he berated her, leaning his head down closer. "Why don't you just tell the truth." Maybe he was right. Perhaps her best excuse would be a derivative of the truth.

"It was self preservation," she grumbled. "My master has wanted to convert you to the darkside for a long time, but if he had you, I wouldn't be necessary and he would kill me,"she spat out every word. Anakin's face darkened. The grip on her arms tightened. "I knocked you out to stop you from going to him like he wanted you to," she sneered. "You were practically putty in his hands."

Anakin's eyes glazed over and his face went slack. He was processing her words. A little wrinkle formed between his brows. Internally, she begged that he would just accept her reasoning. That he would realise she was never going to tell him what he wanted to hear and drop it. "Then why were you so upset when you came to me?" He frowned, his eyes sharpening. The darkness in his mind was thinning out, but the hurt was still throwing up a storm.

"I needed to take you off guard somehow," she snapped, her heart was still racing. It took all the will power she had to hold his unrelenting stare. More than anything, she wanted out of his scrutiny. 

"No," Anakin shook his head and her heart sank. "No, you can hide all the emotion you want but I felt your upset. Misery like that can't be faked." Padmé's chest was becoming unbearably tight. Even although his hands weren't on her throat anymore, she was still struggling to breathe. Prickles of panic harassed her internally. The sweltering heat from the magma river was suffocating her. She just wanted to escape. She just wanted to get away. She just wanted it all to stop. Anakin's hard gaze still rested on her, never shifting or wavering. "Do you want to try and lie to me again, or are you going to tell me the truth?" he growled. Padmé flinched and craned her head around for anything she could use to escape him.

"What do you want me to tell you, Anakin?" she cried, taking in ragged breaths and fighting back the emotion that was threatening to collect in her eyes. She struggled in his grasps, but he only held her down harder. His brows lifted and his lips cracked open. "No matter what I say, it won't change that the Jedi are being hunted down and slaughtered. It won't change that Sidious has seized control of the senate and it won't change that I've had you fooled for years," the misery in her voice warped into a pained cackle. A laugh of disbelief. Her life long dreams had been realised, but it felt like she had lost her life in the process.

"You're right," he growled quietly, his eyes narrowing. The look he sent her was paralysing. It was the same, deranged fury that warped his face when he'd told her about his slaughter of the Tusken Raiders. "It wouldn't change anything," he huffed. She was relieved when he turned to R2, who was still waiting by his ship. "Give me a T4," he told the little droid. It chirped and shot out a small cylinder from within its metal casing. Anakin caught it easily. It's white plastisteel was engraved with text all over the place. With a thumb, he popped off the white cap to reveal metallic sensors beneath. His infuriated eyes landed on her once more. Using a free hand, he gripped her jaw and angled her head to one side. She grunted, but didn't fight him, knowing it was futile. He pressed the cold metal sensor to her newly exposed neck. There was a whir, a beep and a slight sting. A pounding pressure erupted in her temples and she was dragged into unconsciousness.


	16. AE II

Anakin knelt over Padmé's body. His head was tilted forwards and his hair fell over his eyes. One hand still gripped her chin but the other had released the used T4 capsule. Dark, clouded skies hung above him. The magma rivers popped and fizzed. The unbearable heat made his skin dewy with sweat and the insides of his lungs burn. R2 faithfully waited by his side. She lay at the centre of an oily puddle created by the droid. Had R2 not stepped in, she might have escaped. He didn't know what he would have done if she had. His chest tightened at the mere thought.

Tilting her head towards him, he noted that her delicate features were still so soft. Peaceful. He gritted his teeth. So everything between them was a ploy? All the soft promises under the night sky. Fake. All the times she'd told him she loved him. Lies. All the information he'd poured out of his aching heart to her. Weapons. She'd been playing him like an instrument for years. All the times he'd confided in her, taken comfort from her, was part of some sick game. 

Padmé hadn't even answered his question about her motives from stopping him turning to Palpatine. Of course she hadn't. Why tell the truth now when she could lie to him one more time? She was right anyway. Her reason for doing it meant nothing nothing, no matter how badly he wanted to believe they didn’t. He'd held onto that enigma because he had desperately hoped it would prove she wasn't just another evil Sith that dug her claws beneath his skin. He'd hoped it would prove that she really did care for him in some way, shape or form. That somehow, she was still with him all along. It didn't matter. As she'd so aptly put it, it didn't change anything. She'd shred his universe to pieces without batting an eye. No one who truly loved him would have hurt him so easily.

Anakin's mind shifted to the current attack on the Jedi temple. He'd known her game and she'd still played him so easily. With an angry shout, he sat back onto his heels and raked his hands through his hair. "R2, give me the interstellar communicator," he barked at the droid. It warbled and a square of its casing slid back inside its body. A round cylinder shot out, caught easily by Anakin. He punched a few numbers into the screen and it gave out a loud beep.

"Hello, Anakin," Obi-Wan's voice greeted him with a strained grunt. Blasterfire echoed down the connection.

"I was going to warn you that there was to be another attack on the temple, but I'm guessing you already know that," Anakin sighed, his brows pulling into a frown. He heard Yoda's voice shouting distantly.

"How ever could you tell?" Obi-Wan drawled. "What of Amidala? I trust you didn't kill her?" Anakin's eyes drifted down to Padmé's unconscious face. When he'd caught her, he'd been so infuriated by her admission of a further deception that he'd wrapped his hands around her neck. It chilled his blood, how close he'd come to hurting her.

"I have her," Anakin responded quietly, his shoulders tensing.

"Bring her to Coruscant so we can decide the best course of action to take," Obi-Wan instructed him. The familiar buzz of a moving lightsaber hummed out of the device.

"I'm on my way," Anakin responded, ending the call and returning the communicator to one of R2's thin, outstretched arms. He pulled it back into his body and slid his blue plating over it. Anakin lifted himself to his feet, staring between his ship and Padmé's. His cockpit was too small for them both, so he would have to leave his here. Glancing at its glossy exterior, he silently promised to return for it later. Stooping down, he bundled her into his arms. He hated how right it felt to hold her so close. More of that manipulation, of course. 

Carrying her to the ship, he waved his fingers and an access ramp gracefully slid out and down to the floor. Yellow light shone out from within the ship. His arms began to ache. She was definitely a lot heavier than he remembered. No doubt due to the small human she was carrying around herself. Calling upon the force to aid him, he lifted her up the ramp and into the stomach of the ship. R2 followed him up the ramp, warbling to himself. Everything within was long and narrow within, a lot like the vehicle’s sleek exterior. Warm, wooden panels covered the walls, concealing compartments behind them. A thin, solid bed was cut into one side in the shape of a dug out. Placing her down upon it, the sight of her stomach stopped him. 

Reaching a human hand out, Anakin placed it flat on her stomach. A steady, brilliant light shone from within. The heat of her body seeped through the thin fabric of her clothes. His heart leapt into his throat when he felt the tiniest movement beneath her skin. All the burning anger he felt mellowed. His mind cleared, allowing him to produce much calmer, steadier thoughts. Once again, his eyes flicked to Padmé's slack face. His heart clenched. All those times they had spent together, he remembered the way she felt. He remembered odd emotion that slipped out from behind her walls. He remembered her love and delight. She could hide all the feelings she wanted, but she couldn't fake them. Not like that. Letting out a long sigh, he ran a thumb along her cheekbone. What he didn't understand, was her motivation for claiming so boldly she never loved him. Wouldn't it have been easier to manipulate him if she'd kept stringing him along? He squeezed his eyes shut, his hand freezing over her face. Perhaps he was just grasping desperately at straws. He swore to himself that one day, he'd make her tell him the truth.

*

Anakin watched silently as Obi-Wan and Yoda clambered up the ramp of the ship towards him. The tap of the small master's walking stick echoed throughout the metal. Their faces were expressly grim. The hangar beyond them was dim, the ships yellowed light pouring out into it. It was a private, cave like docking bay that had no other signs of life surrounding it. The ship itself smelled sweet, like Padmé. A smell that he normally would have found comfort in. "Skywalker," Yoda greeted him with a dip of his head that was promptly returned.

"Did you manage to evacuate the temple successfully?" Anakin asked, stepping back to allow the masters space in the belly of the ship. He felt light headed and weary. Sleep depravation ached in his limbs. On the journey back, he had been too filled with emotion to even try and sleep. No amount of meditation would seem to fix it either.

"Yes, indeed," Obi-Wan nodded, folding his arms into his sleeves. "The remaining Jedi have been taken to Dagobah, an uninhabited planet, where they will be safe." Anakin blew out a steady sigh, relieved that some of their order had survived. All of their eyes shifted down to the small bed they stood by. There Padmé lay facing them, curled protectively around her stomach. The long plat of her braid outlined the shape of her arching back. Her breath came out in soft whooshes and her face was completely slack.

"I still don't quite believe she has been a Sith all these years," Obi-Wan sighed, his face twisting into a pained scowl.

"Believe or do not, but the truth it is," Yoda hummed, his rounded eyes staring up at the sleeping woman. Anakin gritted his teeth and crossed his arms tightly over his chest. Just looking at her wrapped thorns around his heart.

Yoda hobbled closer to Padmé, lifting a green hand to place it gently on her forehead. His large eyes closed over. Anakin knew the master would return with nothing. As it was, he couldn't even sense Padmé's presence in the force. It was as though she had completely erased herself from existence. "Intense shielding, she has. The strongest I've ever felt," Yoda sighed, dropping down his hand.

"It's probably how she kept herself hidden," Anakin grumbled, his brows pulling in together. He'd always struggled to feel her through the force and sensing her emotions was almost impossible. It was normally only the tail end of an intense feeling he picked up on. He had never thought much of it, but maybe he should have.

"Perhaps, indeed," Yoda responded, dropping his hand back down to his side.

"What are we going to do with her?" Anakin asked, watching the way her chest delicately rose and fell. A false perception he had discovered recently. There was nothing delicate about her.

"We want to interrogate her, of course, but beyond that is more difficult," Obi-Wan explained, his steady gaze holding Anakin's as he leaned against a wall of the ship. The younger Jedi narrowed his eyes. Of course it made sense they were going to try and pull information from her, not that they'd get past her pathological lies, but what else could they do except keep her locked up and out of the way?

"Keep her with us, we cannot," Yoda explained quietly. "Only a burden, she would become because access to a secure jail, we do not have." Anakin's jaw clenched. That was also partly Padmé's fault. The Jedi were at odds with the whole galaxy. 

"There may be another use for her," Obi-Wan spoke gently, catching his former padawan's eyes. "We can chip her with a C29 and it will transmit to us a holo of everything she does, including conversations she has with her master." Anakin's brows lifted. They were going to use her as an unwilling mole? His eyes flicked over to her face, then to her stomach. He didn't like the thought of her returning to Sidious. It churned unease within him. If she was with the Jedi, both her and the baby would be safe. Sith were unpredictable, after all. Sidious could kill her in an instant if he so wished and Anakin had a sick feeling she'd let him.

"If we spy on the pair, it might highlight a weakness they have or a hole in their plan," Obi-Wan added, his concerned gaze once again resting on his former padawan. "It would be invaluable information," he emphasised.

Anakin nodded slowly. "Then you'd better do it whilst she is unconscious, because I don't think the sedative I used will last much longer," he sighed. Already she was beginning to move more frequently.

"I don't have the chip yet," Obi-Wan sighed. "It should be with us by then end of the day... an old friend is procuring one for me since we don't have access to the temple anymore." Anakin nodded slowly. Keeping her captive wasn't going to be easy, but he'd have to succeed. "When she awakens, we'll confront her together," Obi-Wan told Anakin placing a hand on his shoulder. The younger Jedi let out a sigh, because he knew already it would be a fruitless endeavour. "Then, we'll chip her and find a way to make her think she escaped us." Anakin nodded. At first he felt guilty for the deception, but after he recalled all the ways she had fooled them for years, that feeling was washed away.


	17. Run

Padmé's head pounded when she awoke. The air was warm and she was lying upon something soft. Her body was leaden and a hazy grog settled over her mind. Thoughts came to her slowly and dragged throughout her mind. The distant chatter and buzz of the city was accompanied by gentle, rumbling voices. Neither sounded particularly close. At first, she thought she might be in her apartment but upon opening her eyes, she realised she most certainly was not. Padmé knew the stomach of her ship like the back of her hand. The storage units that stared at her from across the small walkway gleamed under the yellow light from above. Padmé had to blink several times to ease the burning in her eyes.

Confusion washed over her. Why was she on her ship? She certainty didn't remember entering it. The memory of Mustafar smashed through her mind. Padmé rammed her shields down tightly and bolted upright. Her eyes scanned her surroundings for any sign of Anakin. Through the open doorway, she could just about see the top of a well groomed head of hair. Certainly not Anakin's. With her shields locked down so tightly, she couldn't sense who it was in the slightest. She could however, tell from the accented twang of a specific mumble that it was likely Obi-Wan Kenobi. So he had survived? From the sounds of it, so too had Yoda. Of course she could also pick out Anakin's occasional rumble. It was very different from the growling, snarl he spoke with during their last conversation.

With her chest growing tight, she knew she had to flee them fast. For one, she'd hate to make her master angry, and for two, she couldn't stomach the thought of facing Anakin again. Carefully, she slowly lifted herself to her feet, ensuring that she was well out of their line of sight. There was a secret escape hatch she had installed in the floor of her cockpit years ago. One that no one else knew about. It was her best bet. Wrapping her shields tightly around herself, she made sure that they would be completely incapable of sensing her in the slightest. Then, she slipped into the cockpit through the open doorway. The mumbling voices were completely cut off. Through the viewport, she could make out the gaping mouth of an isolated hangar that stared out onto the blue, city skyline. Crouching down, she pushed over a tiny lever in the corner of a plastisteel tile. One of many that covered the floor. It let out a hiss, sinking in and revealing a hole in the floor. 

Padmé sucked in a breath and stared down at her enlarged stomach. It was going to be a tight squeeze, but she was going to have to make it work. Grunting, she lowered herself into the hatch's dark, shallow depths. She tried not to grimace as the hard edge scraped against her belly. Padmé had to lie on her side to ensure her whole body was in the tiny, little space. Reaching up, she closed the tile behind her and sealed herself in the darkness. Reaching out with her fingers, they brushed a little knob. Flicking it, a second, slightly wider hatch opened just by her shoulders. Light flooded in accompanied by the mumbling voices. Padmé knew she couldn't just drop out and make a break for it. She needed to wait until they were distracted. Hopefully her disappearance would do the trick. 

For a little while, she lay uncomfortably curled on her side with hard metal digging into her skin. She listened to the bounce of the voices as they spoke in hushed tones. She couldn't really understand what they were saying, but she picked up on the occasional word. It seemed like they were discussing the logistic of pulling control from Palpatine. They couldn't. There was no way her master would ever fall to them. He was much too cunning. Every move they planned on making, he had probably already thought ten ahead.

Eventually they began moving. One set of footsteps trudged up into the belly of the ship. There was a shout of panic, from Obi-Wan, she thought and the two other footsteps went racing in after him. Padmé used that to roll, head first, out of her escape hatch. The hangar wall was nearby, its doorway calling out to her. The voices were speaking to each other harshly and began rummaging through the ship. Keeping her feet light, she sped over to the door. They wouldn't see her unless they leant right out of the viewport. 

Padmé's heart thundered in her chest and her breath became heavy. Pressing on the doors access panel, glancing back at the ship, she let out a sigh of relief when she saw no Jedi had exited the vehicle and the door was opening. Slipping out of it, she began racing through the long corridors. Her arms swung hard by her sides, and before she knew it she had broken free of Jedi captivity.

*

Anakin was perplexed. He'd scoured the inside of the ship for any way Padmé could have vanished, but it was as though she had dissolved into thin air. He'd been next to the access ramp, so she couldn’t have snuck out that way. He stood in the cockpit, his eyes scanning the control panel for a button or a lever he didn't recognise. Something that could have let her escape. The city whizzed by the huge opening in the hangar. This docking port was built like a tall honeycomb. People could buy or rent individual docking bays for private use. They'd had to move from their other, private hangar on the other side of the temple, just in case Padmé had given away their location. 

With a sigh, he ran his hands through his hair and glanced around once more. If he ever ended up holding her captive again, he needed to know how she escaped so that he could make sure she wouldn't be able to do it again. Anakin's gaze landed on the tile flooring. He investigated it with his eyes, finding that one, near the centre of the floor, had a slightly thicker rim. His jaw clenched. With the number of times he's been in this ship, he'd never noticed it before. Probably because he had no reason to stare at the floor. Dropping to a crouch beside it, he ran his fingers along its sleek surface. He froze when he felt a little bump.

Obi-Wan walked in, halting when he saw Anakin stroking the floor. "Find anything of interest?" he asked, the dark bags beneath his eyes were painfully obvious. It seemed that they just kept loosing. Obi-Wan and Yoda had been discussing the possible routes they could take, now that they'd lost their best asset.

"I think so," Anakin murmured, pulling his eyes away from Obi-Wan and back to the little lump on the floor. Obi-Wan lowered himself to the floor beside Anakin. Toying with the bump, he found it flicked easily to one side. The tile let out a hiss and he drew his hand back. It sunk into the floor and revealed an open hatchway. It formed a hole that led right to the outside of the ship. From where he sat in the cockpit, he could see the glossy, hangar floor. 

"How clever," Obi-Wan grumbled. 

Anakin let out a long sigh and ran his hand down his face. "Have you and Master Yoda thought of anything yet?" he asked, cocking a brow. 

"We still want to proceed with chipping Padmé," Obi-Wan hummed, stroking his palms up and down his arms. "As it is, we have no other way to even construct a plan to dethrone Sidious." Anakin cocked a brow. How were they going to chip somebody they weren't holding captive. "We were trying to construct a plan to lure her out, but we wanted to know the senators that are most likely to help us. We want your input."

"Why would I know?" Anakin asked, pulling his face into a confused frown.

"Did Padmé never talk to you about other senators?" Obi-Wan lifted his brows. Anakin nibbled his lips. She had, but could he trust what she had told him was even true? What if she'd just said all those things to manipulate him? Closing his eyes over, he pinched the bridge of his nose. For now, he was just going to have to have faith that she hadn't been lying to him about the nature of these senators.

"The senator she spoke the most highly of was Bail Organa," he sighed, leaning back onto his hands. "Padmé was close to him and often said he always did what was best for the people, not the senate."

Obi-Wan dipped his head. "Then I will do my best to organise a meeting with him," he sighed. His somber eyes flicked up to Anakin's scowl. "Is something on your mind? Aside from..." he trailed off realising how silly he sounded. Anakin had just been betrayed by the love of his life after all. Still, the younger Jedi appreciated the sentiment.

"I'm worried about the child," Anakin spoke, glaring down at his lap. "For all I know, Padmé probably thinks it a burden and Sidious has no regard for human life." He huffed. His stomach twisted when he thought of all the terrible things they might do it. If he didn't find a way to intervene when it was born, they would no doubt twist it into a weapon.

"I'm sorry," was all Obi-Wan could offer, along side a squeeze of his shoulder. "We must have faith the force will keep it alive until we can save it." Anakin nodded, swallowing down his anger. He wanted nothing more than to skewer Sidious for his treachery. He wanted action. But for now, it was a game of waiting.


	18. Plot

Padmé slipped into the bright chancellor’s office. Instantly, she was stunned. The dark stains on the carpet had vanished and the Jedi bodies were nowhere to be seen. The transparisteel window was replaced and all traces of glass removed. It looked as though nothing had happened. A bitter smell lingered in the air. Like the nip of too much cologne, it made her eyes water. Sitting behind his desk, Sidious was wearing his large cloak. The hood was pulled down to the curve of his nose. It unsettled her enough to make her stomach clench. "Padmé, my dear, how lovely to see you," Sidious's disfigured voice crackled. He leaned his elbows on the table, pressing the tips of his fingers together. "You have been gone for some time," there was a twang of disapproval that rose the hairs on the back of her neck. 

Holding her shields tight and fighting to keep emotion from springing to her face, she approached him slowly. "My apologies Master. Anakin caught me on Mustafar, but I was successful in my escape," she explained. Indeed, it had been nearly two days since she had left for that dreadful volcanic planet. Padmé's maroon dress had a long, velvety cape that trailed along the ground behind her as she approached him.

"Is Skywalker on Coruscant now?" Sidious asked, cocking a hairless brow. Padmé halted before the chairs that angled in toward's Sidious's desk. Her gut churned. The last thing she wanted was Sidious to get anywhere near Anakin, but she didn't want to lie. Especially when she knew he would make an appearance eventually and expose that deception. Since he now hated her, and was with the constant light influences of Yoda and Obi-Wan, she felt like he was a lot less likely to turn to the darkside. Sidious couldn't use her to manipulate him anymore either. 

"He brought me here for a reason, I doubt he will have left yet," she responded. "Master Yoda and Kenobi are with him also."

Sidious let out a low chuckle, stroking his chin. "Perhaps we can eliminate them for good then," he hummed. Her get twisted. The three Jedi were strong and probably held a good chance at defeating her master if they worked together. Separated, they stood no chance. Although she didn't particularly want to see the two masters dead, she could cope with it. If Anakin died, she had no idea what she would do. Nothing good, for sure.

"They still have my ship, perhaps we could find them that way," she commented, rolling her shoulders.

"Your ship?" he growled, leaning forwards and causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. "Does your ship have any sensitive information stored away in it?"

Padmé shook her head. "No, I had far to many people in that ship to safely keep any secret," she responded softly, internally shrinking from her master's fury. Any incriminating items would never have escaped a nosey Anakin. So, she had been forced to find other places to make do.

"A wise choice," Palpatine grumbled, leaning back into his seat. "I will start scanning the city for your ship." Padmé knew the Jedi would never be caught by seeking droids or law enforcement, but it was as good a place to start as any. "I will call when I need you," he huffed waving her away with the back of his hand.

"Of course, master," she responded blankly, before turning heel and strutting out of the room. 

*

Anakin's whole body was tense. The two Jedi masters and him were seated in the airy, well lit apartment of Organa. It was startlingly similar to Padmé's own, likely because they were both provided by the senate. The scent of fresh laundry lingered in the air. The Jedi were seated on blue couches, facing in towards a small, glass caff table. Across from them was Bail Organa. Their faces were strict and their postures ridged. Bright daylight poured in through the curving, open windows. Speeders zoomed across the city skyline. In the background, he could hear Bail's wife hustling and bustling around the apartment. 

"I appreciate you taking a risk to listen to us," Obi-Wan spoke softly, his brown robe wrapped tightly around him. "What we are going to tell you sounds very unrealistic, but unfortunately very true." Bail nodded gravely, leaning down on the arm of his chair. "The Emperor is a Sith that orchestrated both sides of the war so that he could obtain absolute power and eradicate the Jedi."

Bail's brows shot up. His lips formed a thin line and his expression shifted into an intense frown. After a moment of silence, he let out a hefty sigh. "It does sound ridiculous, but I believe you," he sighed. "I made the mistake of questioning your judgement in the past Kenobi, but Senator Amidala informed me that you are as trustworthy as the Jedi come." Anakin's gut clenched and he detected mild surprise from the other Jedi. Why did Padmé care about Obi-Wan's image? "Infact, she spoke highly of you all," he added. "Many other senators and are concerned with the empire uprising anyway. We will aid you in any way we can."

"Most grateful, we are," Yoda dipped his head. "Warn you, we must. To be trusted, Senator Amidala is not." No matter how many times he heard it, it didn't hurt Anakin any less. Bail's brows furrowed and he tilted his head away from them. "A Sith in league with Palpatine, she is."

"Are we speaking about the same person?" his voice hitched. "Padmé Amidala?" Anakin could relate the Bail's shock more than he would like to. That innocent little persona she had crafted was too good. Far too good.

"Yes, she has been manipulating us all from within the senate just like Palpatine," Anakin growled, his temper flaring up. Suddenly remembering he was trying to make a good impression on Organa, he bit down on his tongue.

"That's..." Organa's mouth hung open and disbelief twinkled in his eyes. "Shocking... to say the least."

"Part of the reason we came to you, she is," Yoda, laid his walking stick across his lap. The wrinkles in his face deepened and his ears wiggled when he spoke. "Know enough about the chancellor to dethrone him, we do not yet." Bail's curiosity bubbled up in the force, but his face fell to be stoic and calm.

"We intend to bug her so that we can listen in on and record the conversations she has with Palpatine," Obi-Wan told him, folding his arms into his cloak. "It will allow us to orchestrate the best and most suitable plan of attack as well as collect evidence to prove our innocence and their treachery to the rest of the senate." There was a dark look on Bail's face and wrinkles formed between his brows.

"How do you intend on doing that?" he cocked his head to one side.

"That's where you come in," Anakin spoke calmly, shifting his weight. "We need to lure her out into an environment under our control first. The Emperor still needs the confidence of the senate currently, so if there was a rumour claiming he was a Sith Lord then he would certainly track down the source," he explained. "It would be Amidala he sends to do the dirty work." Bail nodded, seemingly understanding their logic.

"So what do you need from me?" he questioned.

"We want you to find the Senator with the least ability to keep a secret and tell them that Palpatine is a Sith," Obi-Wan told him. "We will keep guard over you until Padmé appears." Bail stroked his chin, pressing his lips into a thin line. "It will be a very risky operation and we cannot guarantee your absolute safety."

"Then it's a good thing I'm willing to die for my cause, gentlemen," Bail responded calmly and Anakin felt respect for the man blossom within him.


	19. Laborious Times

Padmé's hand's were quivering as she signed on the dotted line of a holopad. A buzz of uncertainty filled her mind. Was this really the right thing to do? Blowing out a long sigh, she stared down at her stomach. Now that Anakin was out of her master's reach, Sidious would no doubt turn to the children as a source of power. If she was to keep the baby safe, she had to hide it. To do that, it couldn't be attached to her. No doubt she was going to cross blades with a few more Jedi soon anyway, so it would be easier and a lot safer if she wasn't pregnant anymore.

Standing in the reception of a medic centre, she felt a fine tremble rattle her frame. The procedure was very safe for both her and the child, but it was the idea that she would be separated from them forever more after that which scared her. She was really going to have to say goodbye. Blinking back watery heat, she gritted her teeth. Padmé had to do this. For them. It wasn't fair to keep their lives at risk for her own selfish desires. She handed the consent over to the droid and followed as it led her through to a surgery preparation room. It was tiny. A white room with a bed in the corner and a few empty chairs lined up on the wall. There was also a service station and tool compartments dotted around. 

Leading her to the bed, the stumpy droid began rummaging through a drawer for tools as she tentatively took a seat. Her clothing was loose, flowing and scraggly. They were rags in comparison to her normal attire, but those fancy dresses were for her appearances as Senator Padmé Amidala. As it was, she was trying to remain completely unseen. Thus, she had a large hood pulled down to her nose. Now she was out of view from public eyes, she had no issue flicking it back. The droid warbled to itself, before rolling over with a little cylinder clutched in its hands. "Your labour will be short," he beeped. "With the small size of the baby, the birth will be less painful." She nodded, pressing her lips into a thin line. Pain wasn't what she was worried about.

"The baby will be safe?" she asked, her voice cracking. She just needed to hear the reassurance one last time.

"It will have an 100% survival rate," the droid answered. The tension in her shoulders eased a little. With that, the droid pressed the metallic capsule against her bare neck. There was a whir and a sting. Nerves prickled her insides. That was it. There was no going back now. Her breath quickened. "The labour will begin shortly." He informered her, backing away towards the door. "I will return soon." With that, he slipped out into the corridor beyond.

Leaning back against the cold wall, she closed her eyes over and settled a palm on her stomach. She cracked open her defences. The world burst into life around her. She could feel the misery, pain, suffering and joy of everyone in the medical centre. It was overwhelming. Like biting into a lemon after drinking milk. She scrunched up he nose. Distantly, she felt the dark stain that was her master. She could also faintly detect the white light of Anakin. Hopefully, he wouldn't be able to feel her at all. Turning her sights closer to herself, the child's light was swirling all around her. It seemed distressed. A little panicked. It was pressing against her walls for support. It must have been able to sense what was coming. 

Putting a hand over her stomach, she hummed softly to the baby. "You're gonna be okay, little one," she assured it. "No one will hurt you. Not even Sidious." She stroked the curve of her bump. Saying the words out loud soothed her own nerves. Reaching out from behind her defences, she made a tiny connection to the baby. Although she knew it was risky with all the force sensitives on the planet she had stuff to hide from, she couldn't stop herself. After all, this might have been her last chance at ever feeling it. The brilliant light latched onto her. It's steadfast warmth brought a smile to her face. It seemed to relax upon feeling her. 

Just as she found herself beginning to settle, a sharp pain blossomed across her lower abdomen. Her eyes narrowed. So it had begun.

* * *

Anakin was on the tiny, rickety balcony that jutted out from the side of their run down apartment. The railings were rusted and he didn't trust them enough to put any wait on them, so instead he leaned against the wall. The night sky loomed over him. A grimy street stretched far below him and a red, glowing sign glared at him from the wall across where a slim landing pad for a night club was nestled. Occasionally speeders would land on it to let out a few grubby occupants who would slip inside. A warm breeze toyed with his hair, but any enjoyment he might have derived from that sensation was eclipsed by the putrid smell rising up from the alleyway below. It made his eyes water. Still, he had needed a break from their tiny room. After being so close to the other Jedi for so long, he was beginning to loose his mind. It was like they were constantly there, hovering over his shoulder and judging his every move.

In truth, his mood was already sour. It had been since he'd woken in the Jedi temple. Hissing through his teeth, he dipped a hand into the flap of his tunic and pulled out the japor snippet. Its wood was slightly worn, but the intricate carvings were still very visible. The warm emotion that seeped out of the necklace and into the force taunted him with false promises. Padmé was malicious. Wether she cared about him or not, and he was beginning to believe it was certainly more of a not, she had been manipulating and lying to him for years. He could see that clearly now he'd had more time to process it. Now he'd been away from her for a while. It hurt him, burning him down to his very core, but he was beginning to accept the truth. She was not the woman he thought her. She was twisted and evil. She was a Sith. Clenching his jaw, he slipped the necklace back into the folds of his tunic.

Running his hands down his face, he reprimanded himself for lingering on his upset. It wouldn't do anything but hurt him. It wasn't good practice for a Jedi. There was nothing he could do to change it now anyway. 

Sucking in deep breaths, he submerged himself into the force. It flowed through him steadily. The city lit up around him like a coruscanti skyline. There were so many different emotions and sensations. He allowed his mind to browse the force, brining with it a steady sense of calm. He lingered in the serenity for a while, allowing it to infuse into his very being.

A new sensation tugged at his attention, causing his brows to furrow. In the distance, he could faintly feel something. His stomach clenched automatically. It was Padmé. Not her presence, never her presence, but her pain. He straightened up. She was in agony. He could practically hear her screams ringing in his ears. Running his hands through his hair, he bounced on the balls of his feet. Every inch of him told him not to care, but he couldn't help the nerves that prickled his insides. What if it was the baby? What if the baby was hurt. Letting out a groan, he began pacing back and forwards. He kneaded his forehead with his fingertips and sucked in deep breaths. He desperately tried to steady himself, to think of anything else, but it wouldn't work.

Sitting down on the rusted balcony, he crossed his legs into a basket and pressed his head into his hands. He remained there for a while, fighting off the urge to go and find her. Whatever mess she had gotten into was her own to deal with. It shouldn't bother him she was in pain. Of course it was only natural he was concerned about the baby, but he was also deeply upset by the thought of her suffering. It sat like unswallowed mush in his mouth. Doing nothing was torturing him. The image of her dying in childbirth replayed in his head in a constant loop.

A crack of frustration thundered inside of him. Growling, he kicked out at one of the metal struts on the fencing. It was instantly knocked out and sent clattering down into the alleyway far below. His foot dangled out the gap in the bars he had just created. He had to stop himself from doing it again. Why was he still so attached? Why couldn't he let her go? Why couldn't he think of her as just another Sith? Thanks to her, Sidious had risen to the top. Thanks to her, democracy was dead. Thanks to her, all his Jedi brethren were being slaughtered. Screwing up his eyes, he pressed his forehead against his clenched fist. She'd ruined the lives of millions and didn't even care. She was the worst kind of scum. The kind he'd dedicated his life to cleansing the galaxy of. 

The door cracked and Obi-Wan poked his head out. Anakin could hardly lift his head to look at him for the shame that blossomed in his chest. If he hadn't broken the Jedi code to be with Padmé as Obi-Wan had told him, then he wouldn't have been suffering like this. There would have been no baby and it would be so much easier for him to cut his feelings for her. At least, that’s what he was telling himself. "Is everything alright?" Obi-Wan asked, clearly sensing his former pupil's distress through their bond.

Anakin glared ahead at the neon sign. "Can't you feel it?" his voice cracked.

"Feel what?" Obi-Wan asked, stepping out fully onto the balcony.

"It's Padmé," he responded gruffly, hugging his legs against his chest and setting his chin on his knees. "There is something wrong with her. I-" he let out a huff of frustration. "I can feel her suffering." Obi-Wan's gaze glanced out across what little they could see of the city. Sitting down next to Anakin, he closed his eyes. The force lulled to his command.

"I can feel it, just very, very faintly," Obi-Wan spoke finally, opening his eyes and sitting back against the wall. Anakin pinched at the bridge of his nose. There was a phantom tingle of pain across his stomach that he assumed originated from her. He wished he only felt her faintly too. "I'm assuming you're feeling it a little more intensely than I am?" Anakin only grunted in response. "I suppose you two were very attached. It makes sense your connection is stronger," Obi-Wan commented. 

"I was attached," Anakin grumbled, shifting himself as her pain grew stronger. "I used to think she was attached too and wasn't just with me for a tactical advantage. I'm not so sure anymore."

Obi-Wan began stroking his beard. His eyes glazed over in thought. "I hate to point out the obvious, but she is pregnant." Anakin's face flushed with heat and he opened his mouth to object to the turn in the conversation, but Obi-Wan just kept talking. "That kind of act takes a certain degree of trust." Part of Anakin wanted to object to that claim on the basis she was a Sith and would probably do anything to get what she wanted, but that didn't feel right. He'd never detected disgust or discomfort from her as she claimed. Plenty of other things, but not that. "Whether she wanted it to happen or not, bonds will have formed between you. She might not care about you in the way you want her to, but I still believe she is attached in some form."

Anakin let out a rush of air through his nose. That fit in with what he'd felt, he supposed. Maybe the love he'd felt from her wasn't like his own for her and he'd simply wanted it to be so badly that's the way he felt it. Still, it felt a little better know it wasn't all deception. There might have been a small part of her that was subconsciously happy to be around him. Another flare of her pain made him feel dizzy. "Have you tried reaching out to her?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Her shields are up. I can't reach her," he sighed. He had no intention of communicating with her as the last time he'd tried it really hadn't ended well. All he wanted was some indication she wasn't dying. They lapsed into a tense silence. Time seemed to crawl by. Normally when he was distressed like this he would tinker with a droid or a ship. Now, he couldn't even conceive of it. 

Luckily, the pain came to an end after a few hours of misery. It whittled away, making her vanish to him once again. Obi-Wan has remained by his side the whole time, letting out calming waves of peace. With a long sigh, Anakin sat back against the wall. A hot sweat beaded his brow. Running his hands through his slightly damp hair, he felt his body relax slightly. "I think it's over now," he spoke quietly. 

"Is she-?" Obi-Wan began.

"Still alive. I would have felt it if she'd died," Anakin informed him. It hurt him, that his logic pondered over whether or not that was a good thing. Had she died, he wouldn't be tormented by her and they would have one less enemy standing between them and restoring democracy. His heart on the other hand, no matter how badly scorned, wanted what it had always wanted. Her.


	20. Basket

Padmé's hands gripped the steering of her speeder so tightly her knuckles went white. Pressure was building behind her eyes. The sky was dark and grey, a red sun creeping up above the city skyline. Despite the early hour, streams of traffic were criss crossing through the buildings. The air whipped in her face. Her body felt leaden and heavy. She was still in a little pain, but it was nothing compared to the agony of childbirth. An agony she hadn't been prepared for. It was over now and it was fading fast from her memory. Padmé knew she wasn't supposed to be piloting for at least a day, but these were dire circumstances. She could trust no one... aside from the exceptional few. One of which she was travelling to.

Spotting an open balcony with arching seats cut from marble, she lowered her speeder down beside it. It Jarred her a little because it was identical to the entrance to her own apartment. Her old apartment at least. The one she shared with Anakin. Brushing the thought from her mind, she refocused herself. A tall figure in rich robes was standing at the centre. Clambering out of the speeder, she waited as he approached her slowly. "Thank you for agreeing to meet me Bail," she dipped her head. "I apologise for the early hour." 

"You are welcome any time, Padmé," he chuckled, placing a heavy hand on her shoulder. His dark eyes glanced down on her with a familiar warmth. Just seeing him reaffirmed her decision that she was making the right choice. Some of tension slipped from her back.

"What I'm asking of you is no small task," she told him, gently curling her hand around his wrist and bringing his hand down to grasp it between her own.

"Anything for a friend," he assured her. Some of the tension eased from her back. She let out a small rush of air from her nose and steeled herself for what she was about to tell him. Her eyes flicked back to her speeder. A wide basket was nestled in the back seat. The wicker reflected the morning sun so that it twinkled like a gem. The corners of her lips curled up and she was filled with a boost of confidence.

"I don't know if you know, you probably noticed, but I was pregnant," she told him.

"Was pregnant?" his voice hitched. "Are you not... anymore?" Bail leaned away from her slightly, cocking his head to one side and flicking his eyes down to her stomach.

"That's why I'm here," she admitted. His brows only furrowed further. "I gave birth to twins Bail, but I am not in a position to look after them. Being associated with me would endanger their lives."

"Why would someone want your children dead?" he whispered, his head whipping about as he leaned closer. 

"It's less to do with me and more with their father," she responded calmly, her heart twinging. Bail remained silent, prompting her to continue. "He is Anakin Skywalker." Bail went stiff. No doubt in shock. "I know it's... not great," she sighed. Bail seemed to loosen off a little and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. 

"You love who you love," Bail told her softly. "It can't be changed now." Her heart warmed a little. His advice was always welcome and always seemed to help her in her most troubling times. She squeezed his hand back. Padmé had fought her feelings for Anakin when they had first appeared with all her might but even she had been powerless to stop what was to come. 

"They will have the same abilities that made him a Jedi," Padmé told him softly. "That will make them a target for the Emperor."

"Why would the Emperor want them?" he asked slowly.

"I can't tell you that," she spoke apologetically. "The less you know, the safer you will be." There was a pause as Bail's eyes glazed over and her considered her words. She gave him time, knowing how much she was asking of him. It struck her with guilt. These babies were supposed to be her responsibility. It wasn't fair to ask him to something like this, but she had no other choice.

"You wish for me to look after the babies?" Bail clarified.

"Not forever," she replied. "I'll find somewhere else to hide them one the dust of the Jedi purges settle, if that's what you'd like. I just need you to keep them safe from the Emperor for a little while."

"I will look after them for as long as you need," he assured her.

"Thank you so much, Bail," she dipped her head in gratitude. Turning around, she stooped down and scooped up the handle of the basket. A small curtain hung over the opening in the wicker, concealing the children within. Handing them over to Bail, he cradled them close. 

"Their names?" he asked, lifting up the curtain to peek inside. An immediate smile curled his lips.

"I was considering calling them Luke and Leia," she told him, wrapping her arms around herself. "If Anakin wants to change the name, then you should let him." Bail stiffened, his wide eyes flicking towards her. "I don't know if he'll want anything to do with them," she assured him quickly. Still, he seemed unnerved. Unnaturally so for the stone faced senator she knew so well. "Don't believe everything you hear on the holonet or in the senate about the Jedi. Anakin is still a good man and would probably make a great father." Bail's tension seemed to ease a little. "If I ran into him, I was going to send him your way but if that makes you uncomfortable I'll find another way around it."

"No, no," Bail responded quickly. "It's quite alright. He's their father and should meet them." Guilt twisted in her gut, knowing she was the reason Anakin might end up rejecting the twins. After all, they represent the time of greatest deception in his life. When his most trusted friend was a Sith master and his wife a Sith apprentice, all without his knowledge. Her heart ached for her babies. It was going to be rough for them and all they'd done was exist.

"Thank you," she sighed a breath of relief. "I'll never be able to repay you for this, Bail." He gave her shoulder a hard squeeze and cast her a warm smile. Stepping back from him, she slipped into the pilot seat of her speeder. "I won't be in the senate anymore, but just in case you need me, you have my holo code?" 

"You're leaving the senate?" he pressed.

"Yes... it's to do some work for Palpatine," she answered curtly, not wanting to divulge any further.

"I see... in that case, may I have your address?" he asked. Padmé paused. She had moved right after Mustafar because she didn't like the idea of Anakin knowing exactly where she was. It left her open. Vulnerable. "It's just in case I can't reach you over holo when there might be an emergency," he added quickly. Padmé felt unease stir within her, but this was Bail, not Anakin. She trusted in him completely.

"I'll send it to you," she agreed. Muttering a final few good byes, she zoomed off into the morning. As she got further and further away, the emotion she had been holding in bubbled to her eyes. It was hot and itchy. Her soul ached to be with the twins. Without their constant light to keep her company, she felt so alone. So empty. Tears tracked down her cheeks only to by wiped away by the whipping winds. Part of her wished she was just an ordinary person that could raise her children in the peaceful tranquility of Naboo with Anakin by her side. That would have been a dream come true.

* * *

Anakin watched from the security of Bail's apartment as the Senator spoke in a low tone to Padmé. His heart was pounding in his mouth. If she'd figured out his connection to the Jedi, he could be in mortal danger. When Bail had received her request to meet, he'd contacted the Jedi. They were crouched behind the curtains of his apartment, staring out at the large, marble balcony. It had been deemed in their best interest to let Bail hear Padmé out, just in case it had nothing to do with the Jedi at all. Whatever she told him could be used against her in the future anyway.

Watching her like a hawk, he paid close attention to the littlest details in her movements. Her hair was a little disheveled, although that wasn't normal, he didn't take alarm. Especially not at this time in the morning. There wasn't much to learn from her clothing either. She wore a large, baggy cloak that nearly completely concealed her. He clenched his jaw. The force was dull to him because he was focusing on concealing his presence, but he could detect a glimmer of light. The baby. It was much stronger than he recalled. 

Bail was doing well at playing it cool, but then again that was a major part of his job in the senate. Before he'd gone out to meet her, he'd been visibly nervous. Now, it was just like he was talking to a life long friend. He was even rivalling Padmé's acting skills. That's all politicians were. Pretenders. Professional pretenders. It was a job that suited her well. Bail on the other hand, was the only one he'd met who he had any respect for. The rest were power hungry scum. Especially her.

The conversation was short, with her handing him some kind of large object halfway through. His voice hitched in surprise a few time, making Anakin very curious. What could she be saying the was so shocking? When she got back into her speeder and left, he found his gut clenching in anticipation. Bail turned with the large object in his hands and sauntered back towards them. His brow was cut into a frown. The Jedi clambered out of their hiding spots and waited by the door for him. The cool night air washed over them. The room behind was predominantly taken up by angular couches with plush cushions. Retreating in, out of view of the window, Bail turned to them with a grave face. It suddenly occurred to Anakin that the object he was holding was a basket. A wicker basket.

"Is everything alright?" Obi-Wan asked. Upon Bail's gesture, the three of them took a seat. Walking over, he carefully deposited the basket into Anakin's lap. 

"This might be of particular interest to you," Bail told him when his brows furrowed in confusion. The basket wasn’t terribly heavy and a curtain hung down over the hole. Timidly pulling apart the curtain, his heart leapt into his mouth and his eyes grew to the size of saucers. Two little, pink babies were cuddled together. They couldn't have even been a day old. A blanket was tucked in around them. Baggy clothes practically hung from their tiny frames. Their wide eyes blinked up at him, their faces automatically stretching into a wide smile. He timidly offered them one back.

"Twins?" his voice cracked as he craned his head up to look at Bail. 

"Yours," he confirmed. There was a strained gasp from Obi-Wan and the two Jedi masters traded a look over Anakin from where they sat on either side. He went still and stared down at the infants. Through the force he could feel their   
light. A familiar light. Yes. These were his children. With a shaky hand, he ran his thumb down the bridge of one of their noses. The baby's smile widened. A cold shock ran through him. He was a father, not only of one but two. Happiness welled up inside of him.

"She brought them here?" Obi-Wan asked, peering over Anakin's shoulder to glance at the babies within. Anakin pressed his lips into a thin line and peered up at Bail. It was a worrying coincidence. What could she have planned? With his mind turned back to her, he had an epiphany. The pain he'd felt from her must have been her in labour. The confirmation that his dreams of her death had just been tools for manipulation left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Bail sat down on the couch opposite them. "She told me she was hiding them from Palpatine," he commented, running a hand down his face. "It seemed like she was hiding them because of the fact you are their father," he spoke to Anakin directly. 

"Powerful, they will be," Yoda agreed, watching Anakin carefully. "Lust after their power, Sidious will." Anakin's jaw clenched as he stared down at them. He wouldn't let Palpatine twist his way into their minds. Offering them a hand they toyed with his fingers. Their little digits were so small he was afraid that if he pulled away he might break them. 

"This could be a trap set to lure Anakin out," Obi-Wan suggested, stroking at his beard. Anakin's gut clenched. It was definitely the sort of trap that would work on him and had more than enough emotional manipulation for it to have been set by Padmé. He let out a sigh and leaned his head on the rim of the basket. Did it ever stop with her?

"Padmé did say that if she ran into him, she would send him in my direction," Bail told them. Anakin gritted his teeth, anger bubbling up inside of him. That definitely sounded like a trap. There was no way she would tell him anything, unless it was a lie of course.

"Then in grave danger, you are also, Organa," Yoda scratched his chin.

"I'm not so certain," he shook his head. "When I asked, she gave me her address. I don't know if it's accurate or not, but if she really was trying to use me as a pawn, I highly doubt she would have given it." Anakin's brows furrowed. That was a very good point. If it was actually her address, then they wouldn't need to use Bail to lure her out either keeping his home safe for the twins.

"Perhaps, a more passive route, we should take," Yoda offered. 

"We have the chip now, and her potential address," Obi-Wan agreed. "If we keep our distance from Bail for now, we can chip and observe her to find out her real motives." Anakin was hesitant to risk the children's lives like that, but he understood smuggling them away would be just as risky as waiting a few more days. Peering down at the babies, he sent them a sad smile and bid them silent farewell. No part of him wanted to leave them, but that was how it had to be. For their own good.


	21. Underneath

Anakin was startled, to say the least, when he crept inside the address Bail had given him and found Padmé asleep on the bed. The bedroom was small, just large enough to fit the wide bed in its centre. Padmé was curled into a ball atop it, a slitted beam of moonlight shone down on her from through the blinds. Both he and Obi-Wan had taken up positions on opposite sides of the bed. Although he'd seen her asleep many times, this felt wrong to Anakin. Really wrong. Clamping down on his feelings, he gently reach for her bare neck. This had to be done. When he got close enough, he delicately flicked back the locks of hair covering her neck and pulled out the T4 that had been slotted into his belt. Her nose twitched and he froze. He sent a panicked stare to Obi-Wan, who had also gone still. 

Deep creases developed between her brows and her body shifted. "Anakin?" her voice was hardly above a whisper, but he heard it. Immediately, both Jedi crouched down to the floor and silently rolled underneath the bed with their heads closest to the foot. A skinny, floor length mirror was leaning against the wall in front of them, showing them the majority of what was happening above. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Locks of hair fell around her shoulders. Blinking lazily she glanced around. Anakin's heart pounded in his chest, but he kept his force presence suppressed. From the mirror’s perspective, both Jedi were completely concealed by the darkness.

Closing her eyes over, she drew in a deep breath through her nose. Her eyes snapped back open and a frown wrinkled her soft features. She hugged her legs against her chest and scanned the room. His breath began to heat in his lungs. How could she tell he was there? Suddenly, her eyes landed on something on her bedside table and her whole body deflated with a hefty sigh. Anakin could have cried in relief. Scooping up, what looked to be, a mug, she rose to her feet with a groan. "I don't understand why the flavour they sell is citrus," she grumbled, padding out of the room and leaving the door cracked open behind her. Anakin dropped his head against the carpet and pulled in a few deep breaths to steady his racing heart. 

It abruptly occurred to him why she had been able to tell he was there upon her complaint of the fruit flavour. His own cologne was citrus based, she must have been able to smell him. The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. He'd been using the same cologne since the start of the war. There wasn't much time to explore other options and Padmé told him she liked it so he'd never really thought to change it. He was definitely going to now.

"Are we just going to wait this out?" Anakin whispered, a bubble of impatience rose within him.

"We have no other choice," Obi-Wan responded. "She cannot suspect we have been here in the slightest." Anakin clenched his teeth but dropped the subject. They might be there for a while. Resting his head atop his fore arms, he closed his eyes over and listened. There was the occasional thud and quiet mumble, but it was deathly silent aside from that. 

Padmé returned fairly swiftly. All he could see were her feet as she slipped back into the room. When she walked directly in front of them, he forgot how to breathe. She drew back the blinds, revealing a glass door. With a motion of her hand, it slid open and remained so. She padded out into the night air. More light filtered into the room and Anakin had to shrink backwards to make sure it didn't catch him. Luckily, he could see out onto the balcony. A set of marble chairs surrounded a low table. Settling down on one of them, she cradled a mug in her hands. Even from afar he could see the feint wisps of steam that rose up from the contents. Her eyes stared out across the city and she began to hum. A sweet, yet haunting melody.

Anakin's brows furrowed. He'd never heard her sing before. Gritting his teeth, he suppressed the bitterness that rose within him. There was probably a lot about her he didn't know. This was probably the only time he'd ever get to see her as she really was. She drank from her mug often, and never set it down. Watching her move with her fluidity and grace, coupled by hearing her soft tune, he found his eyelids growing heavy. His mind was slipping out from under him, drifting off with his train of thought. He shifted his head slightly in an effort to wake himself up, and it temporarily worked, but eventually he was reclaimed by the sleepiness she was inducing.

The sound of heavy footsteps and mechanical plodding drew him from a slumber he hadn't even noticed he was falling in to. A golden set of feet walked right past them and out to the siren. "Threepio?" Padmé spoke, her voice hitching. "You are supposed to be recharging."

"I know," the droid's familiar voice brought a stab of pain to Anakin's heart. "I heard you awake and wondered if there was anything I could do to aid you." He was such a good droid. 

"I'm quite alright, but thank you," she responded. Her eyes narrowed at him and she set her mug down on the table. Rising to her feet, she strode over to him. 

"Is everything alright?" Threepio asked. Once again, Anakin's heart spiked. Had she discovered his hiding spot somehow? Padmé gently turned the droid around.

"Your back plate has come loose," she spoke after a tense moment. "Sit on the table, I'll fix it," she gently told him. Once again Anakin relaxed a little. He felt like an air pump, constantly fluctuating between tenseness and calm. 

"Are you sure, Mrs Padmé?" he asked, but she'd already returned to the bedroom. "You really should return to sleep. You were up all last night and spent the majority of the day in the senate," his voice hitched in protest. 

"It was my last day," she snorted. "I couldn't miss it." She began rummaging through drawers. "I might as well do it now. I need time for the tea to kick in anyway." Anakin's gut twisted. That was right, she always drank sleeping tonics before she went to bed. She'd told him to try it a few times to help ease his nightmares, but he'd adamantly refused. He didn't like the way it made him woozy and off guard.

"Well, all right," Threepio responded and sat down on the table. Anakin could see Padmé was right. The droid's backplate was ajar and hanging loose, like it had been pried open. 

Padmé returned with a little wrench in her hands. Kneeling on the table behind the droid, she began to remove the bolts holding on the back plate. "Tell me what has been been on your mind, Threepio," she spoke. 

"I don't know what you mean," he protested.

"I know something haas been bothering you," she responded warmly. "Your backplate only comes off like this when you are stressed. I've seen it happen plenty of times at the functions I arranged for senate work." The droid's head tilted down to the floor in defeat. Anakin's brows lifted in realisation. He'd programmed the back plate to release of Threepio's core was to over heat. It made sense that would happen in times of great stress to him.

"I'm worried, Mrs Padmé," he responded sullenly. She remained silent, allowing him to continue. "I'm worried for master Anakin." Upon hearing his name, Anakin's heart jolted slightly. Threepio was worried for him? That thought left him with warmth in his chest. "I keep hearing all these horrible things about the Jedi in the holo news, but Master Anakin wouldn't betray the republic, would he?" Anakin was astounded by the faith and loyalty the droid had in him, but 3PO was certainly not talking to the right person about it. Padmé had helped set him up.

"He didn't," was her short response. Anakin was shocked. Was she speaking the truth for once?

"How do you know?" he responded timidly, as though he were genuinely very curious to know. 

"I know many things I wish I didn't Threepio. The political climate at the moment is charged and very complicated," she spoke calmly. She could certainly say that again. "In war, what could be classed as a betrayal isn't as simple as stabbing a friend in the back." A lot of Jedi had learned that the hard way.

"Do you think he is still alive?" Threepio seemed scared to receive the answer, breaking Anakin's heart a little. Padmé removed the last of the bolts.

"I know he is," Padmé confirmed, pulling off the golden backplate. "I've seen him." Anakin's mind was drawn back to Mustafar. Yes, she certainly knew he was alive and she definitely saw him. He was impressed with how many truths she was speaking.

"You have?" Threepio perked up. "Was he alright? Was R2 with him? Was R2 still working?" Anakin bit down on a smile, finding the droid's concern quite endearing.

"They're both fine," she chuckled. 

"But the Empire is on the hunt for them! What if they are caught and killed?" Threepio was very animated, making it difficult for her to realign the back plate. Anakin wondered how the droid would react to knowing it was Padmé who had helped condemn the Jedi. He made a silent promise to come back and rescue Threepio at some point for she could dismantle him just to spite Anakin. 

"I think it would take more than a few troopers to kill Anakin," Padmé responded with a tone aimed to soothe. Threepio settled a little. She began re-tightening the bolts into place.

"You're right," Threepio sighed. "Master Anakin is very impressive." Anakin felt a little pride swell at the compliment. She let out a soft him of agreement. Part of him couldn't help but hope Threepio was accidentally rubbing salt in the wound of her capture on Mustafar. One day, he would be sure to rub it in her face how he was hidden beneath her bed without her knowledge. "Do you miss R2?" Threepio asked.

"Deeply," she responded with a sigh. "I owe that little droid my life many times over. He was my closest confidant over the ten years he was with me, you know." That sparked curiosity in Anakin's mind. Had R2 know she was Sith? He would have to interrogate the little droid later. 

"Do you think..." Threepio paused. "Do you think Master Anakin misses me?" Anakin's heart squeezed.

"Don't be silly, of course he does," she reprimanded him. "You were his first droid, Threepio, and a close friend throughout his childhood. You have a special place in his heart." Anakin felt himself well up with emotion because what she said hit right on the mark. He'd been so proud of Threepio when he'd built him. Threepio was perhaps one of the first friends Anakin had out with his own mother. His hands curled into fists. 

"Thank you," was all Threepio said in response. Padmé finished securing the chest plate and leaned back to assess her handiwork. Her mouth stretched into a yawn. 

"Alright, that's you," she rubbed her eyes. "You should return to your solar station."

"I'm on my way now," he rose to his feet and waddled out of the room. The pair bade each other their last goodnights. Padmé picked up the wrench and the mug, returning them to their rightful places and closing over the balcony door. Only then did she climb back into bed. 

Anakin listened intently to her breathing, waiting for it to shallow out. His body was beginning to seriously ache from so much time spent in the one position. It didn't take long before she fell into a slumber. Both Jedi rolled out from underneath the bed and wearily rose to their feet. Once again, Padmé was curled into a little ball, facing away from him and towards Obi-Wan. With the moonlight and the button features, he couldn't help but think she looked so sweet and cute. He knew the truth though. There was nothing sweet and cute about her. The T4 was still clenched in his hand. Pressing the metal against her cold neck, there was a whir and a beep. 

Padmé's eyes cracked open in shock but the wakefulness was immediately smothered by the effects of the T4 and she returned to an even deeper slumber. Obi-Wan passed Anakin another cylindrical object. Lifting her sleeve, her pressed it on her skin just below the curve of her shoulder. There was a hiss and a flash of red. Her shoulder jolted with impact but she showed no signs of stirring. Anakin strapped both cylinders back to his belt so that he could safely deposit them elsewhere. He could help the way his human hand lingered on the warmth of her supple skin and he hated himself for it.

Obi-Wan was peering down at her with furrowed brows. They were both thinking the same thing. How could someone that looked so innocent be a Sith? Her words regarding Anakin's relationship with Threepio were still bouncing around in his mind. "She knows me so well, Obi-Wan," his voice cracked. "Yet I know next to nothing about her."

"That's hardly your fault," Obi-Wan responded quietly, stroking his beard. "You're about to discover a heck of a lot more about her, wether you want to or not." Anakin let out a low hum agreement. With that chip in, he was going to find out exactly who she was. Maybe then he'd discover who he'd actually married.

Obi-Wan scooped up the mug sitting on the side table. He took a whiff and screwed up his nose. "I'm surprised we had to sedate her at all with the strength of this tonic," he commented.

"Do you drink them?" Anakin asked.

"Often," Obi-Wan responded, stroking his beard. "They're very good at forcing you into restful sleep." His blue eyes flicked up to his former padawan. "You should try some." Anakin just wrinkled his nose in disgust. If he did that, then how was he supposed to know when there were Jedi hidden beneath his bed?

Reaching down his hand he placed it over her stomach. He was still startled when he felt no baby bump. Furrowing his brows, he pondered wether she'd naturally gone into labour or had it induced. The latter was more practical and he could imagine her doing it easily. Either way, he was grateful. The twins were separated from her and her master so the Sith couldn't corrupt them any longer.

Peering down at her one last time before they left, his stomach clenched. Part of him wanted to climb into the bed with her and cuddle her close, the rest was repulsed by the thought. It irritated him that he still wanted her poisonous touch. All he could do was reassure himself it was a feeling that would fade in time. It all would.


	22. Connected

Anakin watched the holo projector with baited breath. All three Jedi sat on the floor of their crummy apartment with peeling wall paper as they watched the device with bated breath. They'd given time for the chip to assimilate to Padmé and they were about to see if it had been worth all the work. There was a beep, a buzz and a blue holo flickered to life. There she was. Padmé. They all let out a long sigh of breath. She was wearing the kind of outfit she would have on senatorial missions. It was tight but stretchy enough to be very practical. Her hair was pulled back into a long braid and a belt hung around her hips. The look on her face only made her outfit more severe. It was stern and completely expressionless. Like staring into the eyes of a droid. Did she feel emotion? The odd feeling that had escaped behind her walls, he'd been certain they were real, but he was beginning to question that. Perhaps the dark side really could produce fake emotion.

"So we just... watch her now?" Anakin asked, straightening up slightly.

"Until, what we need, we get," Yoda responded, placing his gimmer stick over his lap. With that, the three spread out across the tiny room. They kept an eye on Padmé, but she seemed to be travelling somewhere through the city on a speeder. The two Jedi masters lapsed into meditation. Anakin on the other hand, had something to do. He sat down next to R2 and received a curious beep. He pressed down on one of the droid’s panels, revealing a narrow translation screen beneath. 

"You were in Padmé’s service for years," Anakin began, stroking his chin. "Did you know she was a Sith?" R2 responded by telling him that his memory had been wiped by her before he was transferred into Jedi possession. "It makes sense she would cover her tracks," he sighed. R2 bleeped, explaining he had some saved holos of that time he'd prevented from getting erased but had become corrupted and inaccessible to him. "Let me see if I can do something about that," Anakin hummed. Pulling open another panel, he began using the force to fiddle with R2's memory core. Time seemed to pass much easier for him as he worked. He found himself reflecting on his time spent with the little astromech. Over the course of the clone wars, he had cherished this droid. Not just because he had become a close friend, but because he was a gift from Padmé. A constant reminder of what waited for him on Coruscant. A reminder of her love. What a fallacy that had been.

"You wished to see me, master," Anakin startled at the sudden noise. Turning back to the holo of Padmé, he saw her kneeling on one knee with her head dipped. Before her was the shady figure of a man cloaked in a large, hooded robe that was seated in a tall throne. A throne of lies and deception. The Jedi congregated around the holo. This could be exactly what they were looking for. 

"Yes," Palpatine pressed the tips of his gnarled fingers together. "There are matters I'll need you to tend to, but first it would be rude of me not to ask how the baby is." Anakin gritted his teeth. That filth didn't need to know anything about the twins.

"I don't know, Master. I haven't seen it since it was born," she replied calmly, lifting her head to meet his gaze. The way she addressed their child like a creature bothered him deeply, but he suppressed his rage. She hadn't told the Emperor there were two of them yet. Perhaps there was hope that she really was trying to hide them to keep them safe.

"You put it in the system?" Sidious's deformed voice crackled with dark curiosity.

"I did," Padmé responded. "It would be nothing but a hinderance to me now. I can track it down when it's at a useful age." That, was certainly not happening. Not as long as Anakin still had breath in his lungs. A wide smile curled the Emperor's thin, pasty lips.

"I'm surprised you had it removed early," Sidious placed his hands down on the arms of his throne and leaned back into his seat. 

"It was slowing me down," she responded. "It was a safe procedure so I saw no point in carrying around a dead weight." Anakin's stomach stirred. Is that what she really thought? A dead weight? The woman he knew must have been a fallacy of the heighest order because the one he was staring at now was her exact opposite. 

"Good, because I need you to hunt down and kill some Jedi," Sidious hummed. Padmé remained unfazed. Anakin narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms tightly. She wouldn't get anywhere near him or the two masters beside him, that much was certain. "One of the masters was seen in the planet's crust by the mines. Track them down and if you run into the likes of Kenobi or Skywalker, I want them alive. They could be very useful." Anakin's brows lifted. The crust was very low down and difficult to get to. Whatever Jedi had gotten there must have had inside help.

"I don't have my lightsaber anymore, master," she told him. "Skywalker took it from me on Mustafar." Anakin glanced down at his belt. There was the shiny, metallic hilt of her saber. He'd nearly forgotten he had it. 

"You are far too reliant on that weapon," Sidious tutted. "You share that weakness with the Jedi." Padmé remain silent. Anakin jutted his jaw to one side. Lightsabers weren't a weakness. Those that could wield them properly were beings of immense power. With a sigh, Sidious pulled a long, silvery hilt from his sleeve and threw it down to her. She caught it with ease. "I want those Jedi gone in three rotations."

"It will be done," Padmé dipped her head and rose to her feet. Swiftly turning, she began to stride away. 

"Oh Padmé," Sidious called. She halted, peering back over her shoulder towards him. "It's great to have you back, my dear. I was beginning to fear your time spent as a peaceful senator had made you soft." If this was what she was like soft, Anakin dreaded the real her.

"Don't worry master, I won't leave any of the Jedi alive," she spoke confidently. Anakin curled his upper lip. Not if he had anything to do with it. She finally left, clipping her master's saber to her belt.

"I assume this means Padmé is protecting the twins in some form," Obi-Wan spoke, stroking at his beard.

"We still don't know why," Anakin grunted.

"To leave them with Bail Organa, the safest option is," Yoda spoke, blinking his large eyes. Anakin opened his mouth to object. "Then, receive protection from both us and Amidala, they will."

"It would be unwise to turn away from her protection," Obi-Wan told Anakin. "She will be purposefully diverting the Emperor's eyes elsewhere and the moment she decides to stop we will know," he pointed to the holo projector. Taking a moment to lament the idea, he let out a long sigh and nodded his head. They spoke the truth. The safest place for the twins was under Padmé's protection.

"We need to help the Jedi in the crust," Anakin sighed, leaning back onto his hands. "They'll have no idea what is coming for them."

* * *

Anakin was sitting on the floor of Bail Organa's communal room. The twin's were in their basket just in front of him, giggling as he dangled a toy above their heads. Their tiny hands grasped for it, but he would quickly pull it from their reach causing bubbles of laughter that brought a smile to his face. The bright sun poured in through the tall windows, filling the room with warm light. Obi-Wan and Yoda were on one of the blue couches nearby, watching Padmé conduct an interrogation on the man who ran the turbo shafts to the crust. A man Obi-Wan said was once a good friend of the Jedi. They had a speeder on stand by for the inevitable moment she found a location. Then, they were going to race to the Jedi's aid. Whatever master she was hunting should be able to hold her off long enough to give them time to be found.

A scream poured out of the holo, grabbing his attention. When he lifted his head, he saw something that made him queasy. A rounded, sturdy man was tied down to a metallic chair and across from him sat Padmé in an identical one. Her hand was reached out towards him, the fingers curled in towards her palm. He was doubled over, straining against his restraints. His face was reddened and screwed up in pain. Anakin gritted his teeth. "Shouldn't we be helping him?" Anakin asked.

"It's out of our hands," Obi-Wan shook his head. "If we go now we'll only expose that we have some way of tracking her." Anakin winced, but he didn't object. They needed the intel she was unknowingly providing them with if they were going to liberate the galaxy.

Padmé released the man from her grip. His body slumped out of its tension. "I know you gave the Jedi passage to the crust. Tell me where and I won't have to crush you from the inside," she spoke in a low voice, waving her hand for threatening emphasis. 

"I'll never tell you, traitorous scum," he spat, craning his head up to glare daggers at her. Padmé ran her tongue over her teeth and sat back in her chair. As far as Anakin was aware, she'd been doing this for some time. She crossed her arms and considered her victim coldly. 

"As it is, I think you’re telling the truth," she sighed. "That's going to have to change."

"Do your best, because you'll need it," the man spat. Although Anakin admired his spirit, it probably wasn't the best thing to say to the Sith torturing you because they would definitely rise to the challenge.

"Bring her in," Padmé shouted off to the side. Anakin felt cold queasiness rising within him as a trooper dragged a woman with her hands cuffed behind her back over to Padmé. She was gagged, her hair dishevelled and messy. The man's eyes grew wide and his whole body went ridged. Standing from her seat Padmé gave one gesture and the clone roughly forced the woman to sit in the now vacant chair before shuffling back out the holo. Stalking behind the man, she stood tall over him from behind. "Your wife is very lovely, and I'm sure you care for each other very much." She grabbed the man's shoulders and roughly pulled him back into his seat. "Wouldn't it be a shame if she couldn't even tell you her last word before I killed her?"

The man gritted his teeth and glared at the ground. Padmé didn't seem to be irritated by this act of defiance. Her face was just as lifeless as always. There was no remorse or guilt. Nothing. Was she even human? Placing two fingers against his forehead, she closed her eyes over. Within moments he was screaming, begging her to stop. To let 'Eliza' live. To stop hurting his wife, who Anakin assumed was Eliza. In his peripheral, he could feel a dark stain in the force. His brows pulled together. She was using the force to show the poor man visions of her killing Eliza. Anakin's upper lip curled in disgust. He could sympathise with the man because not too long ago he'd been terrified of Padmé's death. Little did he know, he probably should have been relieved by it.

When she opened her eyes and pulled her fingers from his forehead, the dark stain in the force vanished once more. The man was sweating hard, his chest heaving for breath. His eyes settled on his wife and his panic seemed to settle a little. She was sending him a look of concern in return, tears twinkling in her eyes. Padmé roughly grabbed the man's jaw, making sure he was only looking at Eliza. "What you just saw is what I'm going to do to her if you don't give me a location," she spoke in a clam, cold tone. The man's face twisted in pain but he said nothing still.

Without releasing him, she reached her other hand forwards. The woman buckled over with a shrill scream. Padmé's hand curled inwards slightly. The veins on the woman's neck protruded to become scarily large. The man squirmed in his seat, begging Padmé to stop. A plead that fell on deaf ears. "You could stop this," Padmé whispered in his ear. "You have the power to stop her pain." Anakin found himself repulsed by her actions. By her. He knew if someone had done that to him, he would have caved. Those would have been the exact word he needed to hear to crumble.

"Alright," the man called, his face still screaming agony. Padmé released Eliza. "They are in the third quadrant in an old warehouse." He sounded completely defeated.

"Prepare to move out," Padmé called to someone out of the holo. Probably a clone. "What of the prisoners?" Came the response. Her eyes flicked down to the couple who were watching her warily. "Release them. They're essential workers and I'm sure they've learned their lesson."

Anakin and Obi-Wan were on their feet in moments, dragging themselves to the speeder. Yoda would stay behind for the twins and Padmé would be no match for the Jedi duo. That, Anakin knew.


	23. Failing Success

Padmé crept through the rafters of the warehouse. It was huge. The size of a hangar in a republic cruiser. It was also primarily empty. Towers of crates containing rock and clay filled the outskirts of the open space. Yellowed, flickering shone down from the bottom of the beams she was perched on. The air was thick with humidity and dust. It irritated her throat and tickled out sneezes from her nose. Sneezes she was quick to smother. Her shields were pulled so tightly around herself she could barely feel the force. Far below, Jedi master Turp, a human woman with wild red hair, was speaking in low tones to her teenage padawan, Gart. They were seated on some crates, seemingly discussing what they felt on their latest meditation. 

Padmé debated the best method of eliminating them. There was a squad of troopers hidden in transport carts outside the warehouse that would rush in the moment she commanded. It didn't feel right to swarm and overwhelm the Jedi. They were warriors. They deserved more than just being shot down. Padmé would give them a fair fight. Sucking in a breath, she jumped down from her hiding spot. Cracking open her defences, she slowed her decent to land gracefully in front of them. Their heads snapped up and they were on their feet with drawn sabres, that crackled emerald green, in moments.

"Senator Amidala?" Gart squeaked in surprise. Padmé didn't respond. She only drew her master's blood red sabre in response. He took a step back, his brows lifting in surprise.

"It seems we've encountered one of the serpents that turned the Republic against the Jedi," Turp spoke coldly, her eyes narrowing to venomous slits. Gart's mouth fell open and he flicked his eyes between the two women. "This isn't the peaceful Senator she's led us to believe she is. Ready yourself."

"Spot on," Padmé responded dryly. With that, she leapt at them and swung her saber hard. The lightsaber battle that followed was intense. It was the most physical demand she had faced in some time. She had to remain focused to keep her life. The Jedi duo fought well, with near perfect synchronicity. They struck out with well coordinated combos. Padmé however, was fast. Too fast for them. Springing up over the pair, she plunged her blade into Turp's back.

"Master!" Gart cried, freezing with his eyes widening in horror.

"Run," Turp wheezed with her last breath. Padmé cut her blade upwards through Turp, killing her instantly. Not looking at the body, she twirled her blade and advanced on the padawan. He staggered back a few steps. Hesitancy rose within her. This was a teenager. He was young. He'd barely even experienced his life. Could she kill him? She had to. If her master found out she'd spared him, he'd pay the price for her weakness. A dark look crossed Gart's eyes. Wrinkles formed on his nose. Anger brewed inside of him, the darkside tugging on it.

Gart was the first to move, coming after her with much more speed and aggression than before. His slices became hacks and his blocks, stabs. His anger blinded him to her movements. Dropping low to the floor, she spun and cut right through his shins. He fell to the ground with a pained shout. His head smacked against the cracked permacrete, sending him into a daze. Stepping over him, she raised her blade high to strike. The force screamed at her and she moved without thinking. Flipping backwards, she landed just as a hefty crate soared through the space she had been standing to crash into the ground with a bang and a screech.

Anakin and Obi-Wan dropped from seemingly nowhere, igniting their sapphire blades. They immediately adopted defensive stances in front of the bewildered padawan. Padmé was momentarily stunned. She had thought they were on the surface with Bail. Her brow furrowed. It shouldn't surprise her they were collaborating with other Jedi also stranded on Coruscant. Anakin glanced over to where Turp had fallen. His eyes became dark and a storm brewed in his force presence. Although Kenobi was calmer, she sensed a hint of revulsion from him also. She couldn't help the insecurity that welled up inside her. A lifetime of hiding her true self from them and she was just thrust out in the open.

"Stay back," Anakin whispered down to the padawan. Gart nodded, but Padmé didn't think the boy had much of an option minus his feet. She was going to have to find a way to kill him soon. 

"I must say, Amidala, I don't think being a Sith suits you," Obi-Wan spoke. 

"I wasn't aware it was something a person could suit," she responded blankly. She fought her instinct to tighten her shields. Although they were still intense, she would need a little of the force to keep her alive in what she suspected was an upcoming fight. Her walls were opened just enough to utilise the darkside, but not enough to give away the pesky emotions she wanted to hide like shame and upset. 

"No, I think it fits her perfectly," Anakin growled, gripping his hilt tightly. The way he glared at her like she was a monster made her heart clench. Pain blossomed within her, but she suppressed it. This was the way it had to be. It’s not like he was wrong anyway. "Lying politicians seem to make the best Sith."

"Thank you," Padmé responded, plastering an amused smirk onto her face. She had committed to her act as the kind of heartless Sith he would be disgusted by, so she was going to have to keep it up. "The politician always just a skip away from the Sith. There were a lot more tricky acts to put on." That wasn't entirely a lie. To act like a peaceful senator, all she had to do was listen to her conscience.

“Is that so?" Obi-Wan tutted, fixing her with a cold glare. A familiar buzz drew her eyes to Anakin's belt. Her lightsaber. She was definitely taking that back.

"Playing the part of a wide was by far the worst," she taunted him. Although she wasn't certain, she was fairly sure Obi-Wan knew what was going on between her and Anakin because subtlety had never really been Anakin's strong point.

"Wife?" Obi-Wan snapped his head around to look at Anakin. "You got married?" Padmé forced her lips to hold her smirk. The more of a wedge she put between the Jedi, the easier it would be to beat or escape from them.

"I don't think now is the best time for that discussion," Anakin growled back.

"Oh dear," she placed a hand on her hip. "Seems like I'm not the only one who has been hiding things."

"Shut up," Anakin hissed, tensing his whole body as though he was going to pounce. "I'm nothing like you."

"If you say so," she sang in response. That seemed to break him. He lunged after her, Kenobi following his lead. Within moments the three had engaged in a fast lightsaber fight. There was no time to think. Only constantly remaining in action allowed her to fend them off. Coloured blades became streaks of light. They left glowing, orange scorch marks all over the ground. In order to keep herself moving in time, she was forced to keep her walls cracked open. To any other, it would be insignificance, but it stressed her to no end. Especially considering that she had emotions to hide. Emotions she did not want the Jedi to pick up on in the slightest.

As they fought, her whole body rocked every time she countered a powerful blow. The majority of which were curtesy of Anakin. Obi-Wan was a much more passive fighter, defending where Anakin attacked. It became very clear to her why they worked so well together. They were like the well oiled parts of one mechanical arm. The two sides of the same sword. One provided power where the other stabilised it. They were in perfect synchronisation. She was beginning to understand why they were such a feared duo. Why so few had bested them.

Padmé was stuck in a hard spot. She hadn't worried about what she would do if Anakin showed up because she hadn't thought it a possibility. Foolishly so. Now she was trapped. If she called in the troopers as back up, she would have to take Anakin and Obi-Wan into custody or the troops would report she had let the Jedi go. Her best bet was to win this duel, somehow knock them out and leave them in here. If worst came to worst, she could always call for the support of the troopers and figure out a way to free the Jedi later on.

Deciding her most ideal option was to find a way to defeat them alone, she realised she was going to have to step up her game. As it was, she was primarily just fending them off. To really start attacking back, she was going to need more connection to the force and the dark side. To stop them detecting the emotions she didn't want them to, she was going to have to drown them in different ones. Reaching deep within herself, she dragged up her worst memories and let loose the tirade of emotions that came with it. A handmaiden flayed to the bone. A gungan child's last rattling breath. Watching shifting, green fur descend into a watery grave. Her shields opened further. Further than they had in some time. She could practically feel her anger and pain pouring out. The darkside raced to meet her, filling her muscles with the cold buzz of power.

The Jedi detected this shift in her presence and a wave of determination filled them. Their reaction left a little excitement tingling in her chest. They would be a real challenge. A great test of her power. The first in years. Padmé attacked, flinging crates of rock and clay at them. They were very adept at dodging, but she was always hot on their tail. More than a few times, she found herself barely dodging what could have been a duel-deciding strike, but she gave just as much as she received.

Cutting her blade around in an arc, both jumped back out of her reach. A loud bang caught their attention. Clone voices echoed through large door to the warehouse. She frowned, quickly glancing at her wrist com. She hadn't given the signal for back up. "We sealed off the door," Anakin growled at her. Padmé narrowed her eyes. The fools must have alerted the clones to their presence, prompting them to come to her aid. "Don't worry, there is plenty of time just for us to learn exactly who you are." 

Twirling her blade, she jutted her jaw to one side. "I'm touched," she responded with a snort. She shifted slightly, moving around them. They were keeping themselves between her and the padawan. The floor was littered with crates that were dented or cut clean in half. The clay and stone practically covered the ground, a bit like grey and brown camo. The Jedi traded a look. Their brows furrowed and relaxed as they communicated silently. With a nod, they shot their hands out towards her, creating a powerful blast wave. Padmé was knocked clean off her feet and collided with the hard wall behind her. The air was knocked from her lungs. She fell to her knees and took a few moments to blink away the haze that clouded her mind. 

When she looked back up, the Obi-Wan had moved to a far corner with the padawan by his side. He was cutting a hole in the wall. Anakin, on the other hand, was advancing on her slowly. A grim look darkened his features. So they were planning on escaping instead of killing her. That was perfect. If she could pretend to stop them, she could let them escape with the boy. She lifted herself steadily to her feet, her lightsaber still ignited in her hand.

"Now that you're not pregnant, there is no reason I can't kill you," Anakin spoke darkly, his eyes glinting with rage. That statement wounded her deeply. It took all her will power not to let hurt rise within her. She summoned the memory of a blind boy being gutted to mask her emotions. "The baby would probably be safer that way, anyway." Padmé narrowed her eyes as they slowly circled each other. If only he knew half the things she'd done to protect them.

"Afraid I'll kill the damn thing?" she asked, raising her brows. His upper lip curled into a snarl. "There were two of them, you know. No need for both to live. Perhaps I should have killed one just to spite you." Wrinkles formed over the bridge of his nose.

"I'm glad they caused you so much pain on the way out," he spoke with a venom laced voice. "That was really satisfying to feel from a distance." Her jaw slightly slackened. Had he felt that? Her shields had only been slightly opened. How had he felt that? She smothered her shock and reminded herself to play it cool. She could think about it later.

"If I'd have known you were a sadist from the beginning, we could have had so much more fun," she sent him a taunting smile. A prickle of disgust from Obi-Wan amused her. Anakin, on the other hand, only got angrier. The dark side was swarming him relentlessly. A pang of worry tightened her chest. Was she pushing him too far? If she kept pressing, he might lean into the dark side and actually kill her.

"If I'd have known you were a Sith from the beginning, I could have shown you what lightsaber tastes like," he responded in a low growl. "We can make up for that now." He lunged. She met him halfway, engaging once again in a lightsaber fight. He was even more aggressive than before. His hits were precise with intense strength following through. Padmé cycled more memories in her head. A dear friend with glass imbedded in their skull. The dark side thrummed inside of her and allowed her to keep pace with him.

A metallic clang and a whoosh made her heart sink. Anakin broke away from her, peering back over his shoulder towards the door. Troopers came pouring in as it lifted from the ground. Obi-Wan was only half way through cutting his circular escape. Immediately they began firing off stun bolts. Anakin turned his attention to deflecting those. Padmé let out a weary sigh. She was going to have to take them into custody. That also meant the padawan had to die. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to make peace with it. It would be easy enough to break them out of the containment cell before they were sent back to the surface.

Flipping over the distracted Anakin, she used the force to haul Gart across the ware house and into her ignited saber. The boy let out a strained wheeze. She couldn't lift her eyes to meet the pained ones she knew would be staring at her. "No!" Anakin cried from behind her. Her heart shattered at the sound. She lifted her walls tight to conceal the anguish and guilt that swamped her.

Padmé freed her blade and jumped away just in time to avoid a slash from Anakin. He dropped to his knees by Gart's body, his mouth hung open. Obi-Wan took up a position in front of Anakin, defending him from the stun bolts. "We need to leave, Anakin," he huffed. "We've been defeated." Those words didn't bring her any pride like they should have.

Anakin lifted his head. His eyes landed on Padmé. They held a fury she'd never seen before. His presence became completely submerged in the darkside. Her stomach dropped. She'd gone too far. What else could she have done? She didn't have a choice. He rose to his feet slowly, batting away any incoming stun bolts as easily as blinking. Gritting her teeth, she kept cycling through those terrible memories. If she kept this up much longer, she was going to get stuck in the past. A fine tremble rattled her frame, warning her she was close to overwhelming herself. Still, she cracked open her defences and welcomed the cold touch of the darkside that steadied her shakes. 

Padmé caught a downward strike from Anakin above her head. Her eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't even seen him move. He rooted her to the spot with the intense pressure he applied to her weapon. "You're a murderer," he spoke in the kind of voice she'd hear in her worst nightmares. The accusation, although she already knew it was true, stung coming from him. She considered taunting him further, but decided against it. He was already so deep in the dark she had no idea how she was going to pull him back. "You killed a defenceless child," his voice lifted slightly, the pressure doubling. "And I used to love you." He spat out the words like they were poison on his tongue. Of all the thing's he'd said to her, that one hurt the most. If there had been anything left of her heart, it was pulverised. The worst part was, it was all her own doing. This needed to end before she ended up crying or dead.

Ducking out from under him, she sliced at his legs and forced him to step back. Her brain worked a mile a minute. Sweat beaded her hairline. There was no time for her to form a plan. He was slashing at her viciously. She barely dodged a strike that should have taken her head clean off. He was out for blood, there was no question in that now. Padmé attempted to block a strike from him, but he knocked her hilt clean from her hands. He lifted his sapphire blade to strike her down, but he hesitated. Distress flashed across his face. That single second of delay was all Padmé needed. She plunged her fist into his gut, doubling him over. She brought the elbow down hard between his shoulders and sent him crumpling to the floor face first. 

Padmé dropped down to sit on his back. She pressed her knees against his upper arms, pinning them down. Quickly, she grabbed her hilt from his belt. With the other hand, she roughly grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked his head up. Igniting her sabre, she hovered it just below his exposed neck. "Anakin!" Obi-Wan called from where he had been diligently picking away at the trooper ranks. 

Anakin shifted below her and began pushing up from the ground. Tugging at his hair, she leaned her mouth down to his ear. "Stop that, because unlike you I won't hesitate to cut your head from your body," she lied. He went still, but his hands curled into tight fists. 

"I hate you," he hissed. Padmé knew that was only partly true. He'd hesitated to kill her because he was still somewhat attached. What the heck did she have to do to cut him free? Anakin let out an inhumane growl. His anger was growing and growing. The fog of darkside around him was so intense it was all she could feel. 

Lightning crackled between his fingers. Padmé drew in a sharp breath, her eyes growing wide. Her head snapped up to Obi-Wan. He too shared her look of horror. In his state of distraction, a stun bolt finally knocked him down. The lightning grew to be more intense. Phantom pain burned inside of her. Sheathing her blade, she used her fingers to press hard on the throbbing pulse in his neck. He tried to shift away from her, but it didn’t take long for her actions to have an effect. His body relaxed beneath her.

Blowing out a long breath, she shakily got to her feet. Upset swirled within her as she stared at his unconscious form. Force lightning? He'd summoned force lightning? This was worse than she thought. So much worse.


	24. Strip Wire

Padmé stared at the door in front of her. Her heart was racing in her chest. Behind that door was Anakin and Obi-Wan. By now, they ought to have woken up. She'd seen visited Anakin to repair his cybernetic hand whilst he was unconscious. The force lightning he summoned had fried his circuits. When she broke him out of here, he was going to need it. She'd also added a little insulation in case he shorted it again. He was none the wiser, of course. 

Bouncing on the balls of her feet, she readied herself. Every time she moved, the four sabres on her belt clinked together. Two dangled from each hip. She didn't want to face Anakin again. She couldn't look into his eyes and see hate again. She couldn't. Furrowing her brows, she mentally shook herself. She had to. To get him free, she needed access to the power chords in his cell. Clenching her jaw, she brushed her fingers over the access panel. With a whoosh, the door slid open. Steeling herself, she stepped in.

The room beyond was tiny and carved out of solid rock. Bright light shone out from rods that were screwed into the walls. The two occupants ceased what seemed to be an intense argument the moment she entered. Their hands were dangling above them, chained to the ceiling and their feet were locked in a cylindrical base. They were completely tied up. The sight almost relieved her because she knew she wasn't going to have to fight them. Not physically, at least. Anakin's cold glare bore into her, Obi-Wan's blank stare assessed her carefully. "Welcome to the land of the living," she snorted. "I trust you had a good sleep?" she folded her arms over her chest.

"What did we ever do to be graced by your presence?" Obi-Wan retorted dryly.

"In this case, it's free of charge," she remarked.

"Lucky us," Obi-Wan huffed. The muscles in Anakin's jaw were twitching violently. She could practically see the anger boiling in his eye balls. Stepping to Obi-Wan's side, she hooked a finger into his belt. "You better not do what I think your about to," he spoke darkly.

"Don't be vulgar," she rolled her eyes and slotted his lightsaber back onto his belt.

"Apologies," Obi-Wan responded, narrowing his eyes at her. "It seemed to me like you had a thing for jedi." Padmé couldn't help the way her face twisted in disgust. She'd never looked at another Jedi like she had Anakin. The only reason she'd married him was because she had terrible self control.

"Don't be vulgar," she repeated coldly. Taking one glance at the way Anakin was glaring at her, she decided to attach his lightsaber to Obi-Wan's belt.

"Too afraid to come near me yourself?" Anakin sneered. Afraid? Annoyance rose within her. No. She couldn't have that. She certainly couldn't have him thinking she feared him.

Striding over to him and curling her fingers around his belt, she tugged him closer to her. His body went ridged. Their eyes met and she defiantly stared directly into the seething black hole of his hatred. "I am no more afraid of you than I would be a child with a glow stick," she hissed. His upper lip curled. "I'm leaving your lightsaber in Kenobi's possession, because with the state you've worked yourself up into, you need someone to hold your leash." There was more venom in her voice than she intended, but it seemed to hit the mark.

Anakin lunged forwards, his chains going taut with a clank before he could reach her. "I'm not an animal," he growled.

"Then stop acting like one," she reprimanded him. "As it is, I'm getting the strong feeling you'd try and bite me if you could." He reeled back. Wrinkles of rage formed over the bridge of his nose.

"My dear, if you move any closer to Anakin, biting would be the least of you worries," Obi-Wan told her coldly. Anakin sent his former master a heated glare.

"Then you've obviously never been bitten by him before," she snorted. Anakin looked like he wanted to throttle her. Had he been free, he probably would have. Obi-Wan's face paled slightly. She hated doing this to them. It was making her queasy. Stepping away from Anakin and turning her back to them, she stepped in front of the control panel that supplied instructions to their bindings. Drawing her lightsaber, she began carefully cutting it from the wall.

"Although I am tremendously grateful to have our lightsabers back, I am curious as to why you've returned them," Obi-Wan asked calmly. Padmé was so used to being on the same side as them, she'd forgotten to tell them she was breaking them free.

"I would have thought that would be obvious," she responded blandly. Her hands remained steady as she traced the edges of the panel with her lightsaber. "Especially considering the fact I'm cutting the restraint controls out of the wall."

"Are you breaking us out?" Obi-Wan spoke with a hint of mocking incredulity. Padmé hummed an affirmative. Sheathing her lightsaber, she dipped into the force to pull the control panel from the wall. It's edges were glowing molten orange. A spaghetti of wires were attached to the back of the panel. She nearly groaned when she realised she was going to have to fish for the ones she needed.

"Why are you freeing us?" Anakin asked, suspicion dripping from his voice. Because she loved him. Because she just wanted him to find happiness. Because she wouldn't let him be corrupted. Those were all things she wouldn't say. Her brows furrowed as she began using the force to delicately loosen some wires.

"As it is, Anakin, you're more Sith than you are Jedi," she grumbled. "One nudge from my master and you'd be his. I'm pulling you from his jaws for the exact same reason I did the last time." Padmé was glad she had something to focus on. It meant she didn't have to look back into his hateful eyes. There was a spark as she pulled a few wires loose. A heavy beat of silence followed. Concern was pouring out of Kenobi. So he knew it was true too. Anakin was a pin waiting to be tipped.

"I'm not a Sith," he hissed. "I'm nothing like you."

"Not yet," she hummed. "Now lets keep it that way." Carefully, she stripped back some of the insulation on the wires with a knife she had stored in her belt. "When you get back up to the surface, do us all a favour and meditate, or fix something, or go meet your children. Whatever you need to let out all that nasty pent up anger."

"I'd need to know where they were to do that," he answered bluntly.

"With Bail Organa," she answered swiftly, using the force to flay out the edges of her stripped wires. She then began weaving them delicately back together with another wire. 

"So you didn't just dump them anywhere," Anakin states in a low voice. "I'm surprised you didn't kill them. In fact, why didn't you?" Padmé paused. There was no good reason for that. She could tell him they would be powerful assets for the Emperor, but that would probably only anger him further. Not to mention he may end up moving them from Bail's care.

"I'm trying to do something," she snapped. "You keep asking stupid questions. Just be grateful I'm helping you escape instead of cutting you in half." There was a pause. She didn't turn back to look at their faces because she could feel their eyes bearing into her.

"That begs the question, why haven't you just killed us?" Obi-Wan said it half as a tease. Padmé pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes over. They were more irritating than she had anticipated.

"I think I'm beginning to understand why Dooku hated you both so much," she let out a humourless chuckle.

"You want us out of here just as much as we do. We however, would only benefit from Sidious finding out it was you who freed us. There are plenty of ways we could let him know on the way out," Obi-Wan spoke coldly. With her new wires merged together, she slotted the control panel back into the wall. Padmé narrowed her eyes at Kenobi. He had talked her into a corner. No wonder they called him the negotiator.

Turning to face him fully, she leaned her shoulder on the wall. "Is that a threat, Obi-Wan Kenobi?" she asked lowly, cocking a single brow. He held her stern gaze with his own.

"It's a promise," his voice prickled with danger. Padmé stroked her chin and carefully considered the hard expression on his face. She didn't mind answering his question. It wasn't like she was going to tell him anything revealing. What bothered her was all his digging. The more lies she told, the easier it would be to get caught out in one. Was that what he was trying to do? Expose her as a fraud? Or, was it something else? Was he trying to uncover something she was hiding from them? Perhaps something they thought could be a possible weakness? Padmé's mind worked a mile a minute. She hadn't thought up an excuse this intricate and she hadn't thought they would care enough to dig this far. Pressing her lips into a line, she decided an abridged version of the truth might fit in best.

"That would be a lengthy explanation," she hummed.

"Speak," Anakin snapped. 

"All right," she sighed, drawing her lightsaber and turning back to the control panel. "Although I don't really understand why you care so much." With the tip of her blade, she heated the metal around the access panel and began welding it back together. "Anakin, you told me once that you would trust Palpatine with anything and that somehow he was always there when you needed him most." He didn't correct her, but she did hear him shifting on his feet. "Although I can't be certain, I have a theory I don't want to test out." She glanced back, they were both staring intently. "My master took that trust and forged it into a bond. That's how he knew when you were distressed." Finishing off her welding work, she straightened up and returned her saber to her belt. She used the force to smooth out the oozing metal, making her tampering nearly undetectable. "If you were to be in serious danger, my master would feel it and he would know exactly what was going wrong. I have no doubt he'd kill me if I so much as even attempted to harm the little golden boy." Once again, she leaned back on the wall but remained mindful of the hot metal.

Anakin glared down at the floor. His anger began sizzling away. Obi-Wan looked disturbed, his face slightly ashen. "If you knew Sidious was..." -Anakin's nose wrinkled in disgust- "grooming me, then why didn't you do anything about it before now? I trusted you as well. Couldn't you have hindered that bond before I became such a threat to you?"

"If I'd warned you about Sidious you would never have listened," she grumbled, a truthful bitterness creeping into her tone. "I couldn't have anyway, because I didn't know."

"Then why did you get so close?" Obi-Wan asked. Padmé carefully considered the question. She hadn't fallen for him intentionally. Perhaps the only reason her master hadn't made her end the marriage when he found out was because he realised it could be used to his advantage. The thought turned her stomach. 

"I was doing as I was told," she told them blankly. Anakin's eyes closed over. His jaw was so tightly clenched she thought he was going to shatter his teeth. Her gut churned. She really shouldn't be telling him this. It really wasn't helping him calm down. Obi-Wan eyed his former padawan cautiously. The darkside was clinging to him like a leech.

"How did you figure it out?" Anakin spoke deceptively quietly.

"The dreams," she answered hesitantly, all too aware he could explode at any given moment. Her heart ached for him. It can't be easy to find out he'd been manipulated so much for so long by two of the people he cared about most.

"The dreams of a terrible future?" Obi-Wan asked his fellow Jedi. 

"I had dreams of her dying in child birth," Anakin responded coldly. His eyes snapped open and he pinned her with a glare so menacing it made her heart shudder. Obi-Wan's face seemed to lift in realisation. Like the final puzzle piece had been slotted into place for him.

"When you went back to sleep I felt my master's thumbprint on your mind," she explained.

"That was going to be the final push," Obi-Wan thought out loud. "He was going to use those dreams as the hook to pull Anakin over to his side. You were just a pawn in this whole scheme." That truth made anger flutter its wings inside her, but really, what should she have expected? Of course Sidious would use her to corrupt Anakin. Why wouldn't he? He found a way to twist everything he touched so it would bend to his will. 

They both seemed to lapse into a state of existential crisis. Not that she blamed them, after all, their entire perception of their lives had probably just been flipped on its head. She gave them a few moments to digest what they had just learned, but she was all too aware that time was ticking onwards. They didn't have much longer until the transport team arrived to cart the two Jedi off.

"Do you two plan to mope forever, or are you going to help me break your pathetic carcasses out?" she jabbed.

"What brilliant a pep talk," Obi-Wan snorted. It worked. They were looking at her once again, focus shining in their eyes.

"I'm going to set off a red alert at the other end of the base. At the same time a fuse will short in that access panel," -she pointed to the one she had been tampering with- "and you'll be set free." 

"So it looks like you had nothing to do with it?" Anakin narrowed his eyes.

"Exactly."

"If you break out of holding cells and take the first window on your left, you'll reach a courtyard with a well at the centre. Jump in and cut through the north facing wall. You'll reach the tunnels beneath the underground city. I'll find you at that point and lead you to the turbo tubes. You'll need my access codes to get out, so don't try anything,"she warned them.

"You've planned this so intricately," Obi-Wan hummed in amusement. "Anakin could learn a thing or two about that." The Jedi in question stared daggers at his former master's head.

"You've got ten clicks until I set off the alert, so be ready." With that she pressed on the door's access panel and slipped out into the corridor beyond. There was work to do.


	25. Lar Lout

Anakin watched Padmé slip out of the cell. His body couldn't contain his anger at all. He was shaking, his hands clenched so tightly that the gears in his cybernetic squealed. The panel she had welded back into the wall was still glowing red hot along the edges. He felt like the same molten metal was coursing through his veins. His breath was harsh and deep. He ground his teeth despite the way his jaw ached. Why did everyone want something from him? Couldn't they just leave him alone? Why were they twisting his emotions like toys? Anakin was a human being. Not some possession for the Emperor to claim. Padmé stated out right that the only reason she got close to him was to allow her master another method of manipulation. Anakin hated that man. He hated her too. They'd built up and enriched his life just to knock it down and scoop him up whilst he was low. His allegiance to the Sith wouldn't be won by Sidious as easily as Padmé thought it would.

"What did you think of her story?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin in a calm, soothing voice. 

"I think she is a snake," Anakin grumbled. "But it seemed to be true. I can't see why she would lie."

"What she told us may have been true, it's what she didn't that worries me," Obi-Wan responded, a flicker of concern danced in his eyes. Anakin cocked a brow. "She sidestepped quite a few of our questions."

"I'm fairly certain that is because she is a pathological liar," Anakin grunted.

"She also told you exactly where the twins were. Did that not strike you as odd? Why would someone like her go through so much to hide the twins?" he pressed. "She is hiding something from us."

"Don't get caught up on it," Anakin snorted. "She has always been hiding something from us. Why would she change her ways now just because we know what she is really like?" He blew out a long breath. "This isn't the Padmé we know that we are dealing with. That person never existed. She is a self serving Sith. You need to remember that." 

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to respond, but the distant wailing of an alarm sounded. Their shackles went loose. Anakin immediately stepped free and rolled his aching shoulders. He held out his hand and Obi-Wan gave him his lightsaber. Just the memory of how close she’d been when she called him a child with a glow stick sent shivers of rage racing down his spine. Next time they fought, he’d show her how wrong she was. Nodding to each other, the Jedi swiftly exited the cell. They followed Padmé's directions, dispatching of any troopers as necessary.

Before long, they found themselves clambering through the wall of a well into a dark cave system. The hole they had cut out let in thin streams of light. The passage way stretched far. Any movement they made echoed loudly. Jagged rocks jutted out from the walls and ceiling. Pulling out their lightsabers, they lit the tunnel with an eerie, blue light. "Which way?" Anakin asked, looking in both directions. The tunnels just curved into darkness.

"This is the general direction of the turbo tubes," Obi-Wan pointed down one of the passageways. "I don't know the exact route to take to get there." He stroked his beard with a sigh.

"Then it's a good thing I'm here," Padmé's voice made Anakin jolt. He whipped around to see her stepping into the cave system just behind them. He saw red. The image of her impaling that padawan flashed before his eyes. Murderer. Lunging forward, he grabbed her by the neck and slammed her into the rock wall. She let out a startled gasp. He didn't give her time to push him off. His fury manifested in bright, yellow lightning that crackled all over her body. She let out a grunt of pain, reaching up and gripping his wrist.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan scolded him, roughly grabbing his shoulder. Realising what he was doing, he clamped down on his anger a little and the lightning stuttered to a stop. Her dark eyes lifted up to meet his. Her expression was entirely unreadable. Despite the fact he was still pinning her to the wall by her neck, she didn't fight him. 

"That was for the defenceless padawan you murdered," Anakin hissed, lowering his head closer to hers.

"Tarp was a Jedi," she hissed, moving her face closer to his until they were a wrist breadth away. "Jedi are never defenceless." His eyes flicked down to her lips and he had the sudden urge to close the distance between them. Queasiness tightened around his stomach. He would just as soon cut out his own tongue. Releasing her, he took a few steps back. Wrinkles of disgust formed over his nose. "Are you quite done?" she asked, pushing off of the wall and rubbing at her neck. He let out a low growl of response. "In that case, it's this way," she pointed down one of the tunnels and strode off.

Obi-Wan shot Anakin a look. Not one of anger as Anakin expected, but one of deeply disturbed concern. Anakin's eyes flicked away from his master's and landed on the floor. What he'd just done was not Jedi like. Not in the slightest. The pair followed after Padmé, who had taken out her own lightsaber to lead the way. Their heavy silence was only filled with the buzzing of lightsabers and the echoing of footsteps. 

Trying to ease some of his anger, he flexed his hands. He peered down at the gloved one. The one that had just been gripping Padmé's neck. His brows furrowed. With the force lightning he'd summoned, the circuits should have been completely fried. Perhaps force lightning didn't affect cybernetics the same way electricity did. His chest tightened. Force lightning was the epitome of the darkside, and he'd used it. As much as he hated to admit it, Padmé was right. He needed to calm down. He couldn't risk falling to the dark. Not now.

Padmé," Obi-Wan spoke suddenly and she tilted her head back towards him. "By betraying the Jedi and playing both sides of the war, you've also betrayed the senate."

"You can't betray something you never supported," she replied, her eyes narrowing to slits. "The senate is infected with lar louting sycophants. It's corruption has bled across the galaxy. They've deafened themselves to the cries of the innocent with the sound of clinking credits." Anakin startled, his brows pulling down. The senate wasn't perfect, but they were the best governing body the galaxy had. They at least had democracy. 

"You've caused hundreds of lives to be ruined and lost in the cross fire. Can you really be satisfied with a peace that was built on bloodshed?" Obi-Wan argued back, his voice rising slightly. Anakin was almost startled by his master's display of emotion, but it struck him to realise that Obi-Wan too had become very fond of Padmé. Over the years of the war, they had become close friends. Or so it had seemed. In the end, she had just been fooling them all.

"It's regrettable they died, but it wasn't in vein," she responded gruffly. 

"Regrettable they-" Anakin paused, his upper lip curling. "Do you have any humanity?" he all but yelled, throwing his arms out in exasperation. "Do you even care in the slightest that you've manipulated so many, twisting their lives and their beliefs?" his voice hitched.

"No," she turned to glance over her shoulder and sent him a pointed glare. One that conveyed a lot of meaning. Padmé didn't care that she'd been twisting him all these years. She didn't care she'd broken his heart. She didn't care that she'd burned down his perception of love. She didn't care. It stung him more than it should have. He clenched his mouth shut, not wanting to speak of this anymore because he knew he would only get hurt.

"I'm curious, Mrs Amidala," Obi-Wan spoke again, drawing an audible groan from Padmé. "Now that we know your true allegiance, you don't need to have such intense shielding and yet you do." She peered back at Obi-Wan, a warning reflecting in her eyes. It seemed this was territory she didn't want to go into. "It almost makes me think your hiding something. A secret maybe? A fear? An emotion? Something that can't be concealed with normal shielding?" Anakin's face twisted in confusion. What was his master trying to pull? Surely he didn't expect her to answer that?

"That's a rather personal question," she commented dryly. "How is it you want me to respond to that?"

"Considering the fact that you've never honestly answered a question about yourself the entire time we've known you, I feel like you owe it to us to answer at least one truthfully," Obi-Wan replied. Anakin rolled his eyes at his friend's antics. This was a dead end conversation.

"Would you look at that," Padmé halted and stared up at the ceiling. "We're there." Anakin's head tilted to the side. All he could see was tunnel. Not giving them time to question her sanity, she jumped up and disappeared into the ceiling. The Jedi traded a look and crept a little closer. What they found was a little tunnel that led up to a man hole of sorts. Using her legs to keep herself wedged in it, she was pushing away the covering. Anakin didn't think he was ever going to get used to seeing her move with such agility. There were so many times he'd risked himself and others to save her when she probably could have done it better herself. Once again, his anger began boiling over.

Light poured in as she pulled herself out of the tunnel. Obi-Wan was quick to follow her. Using the force to propel him, Anakin leapt clean out of the hole. What he had jumped up into was a small cave with a wide transparisteel tube that shot up through the roof. Light rods were stuck to the cave walls. A glowing podium mounted with a control panel jutted out from the ground beside the tube. Two troopers were standing guard beside it, but with a flick of Padmé's hand, they were dead. Stepping over their bodies without a second thought, she began typing into the control panel. "Get in," she instructed as a doorway to the tunnel slid open.

Obi-Wan did as she asked, but Anakin faltered. His anger took his controls. Reaching out, he gripped her upper arm roughly. She startled, peering up at him in surprise. Anakin leaned his head down to her level. "If we ever meet again, I'm going to kill you," he over annunciated every word. From the way his heart pounded in his chest, he knew it was true. They'd find another way to end Sidious, he just wanted to wipe a Padmé's stain from the galaxy. If he hadn't needed her to escape, he would have done it already.

"Then you'd better not hesitate," she hissed, leaning in closer and catching his eyes in a steady glare. A moment passed. Releasing her, he blew out a puff of air from his nose and stepped into the turbo tube. Obi-Wan sent him a scolding look, but Anakin didn't care. He'd meant what he said. Not even looking up to say goodby, she pressed a button and they were shooting up towards the surface.


	26. New Beginings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the start of the new end, I guess. I have all of the old chapters still saved, so if this goes to heck I can release them again and all the chapters I had prewritten. Still, I have faith this version will be a little more action packed and true to the characters. Some material will be recycled, and you’ll probably notice that. This first chapter is quite bad for that, but not everything is the same. As payment to make up for that, I’ll release two today. Enjoy!

Anakin stepped out of the speeder and up onto Bail's balcony. Dim lights glowed out of the apartment. The twins' bright presences glimmered within. Obi-Wan climbed out behind him. The pair had hardly spoken since they'd been sent off by Padmé. A few times Obi-Wan had tried to speak to Anakin, but was immediate shot down by a glare or a snarky remark. Anakin was not in the mood for conversation in the slightest. His rage was still burning within him. An unmovable anger that wouldn't simmer. He cursed himself for hesitating to kill Padmé. The thought of her dying had taken him off guard, not to mention they still needed her for information. Still, he wished he had cut her down then and there. Then there was Sidious. That man was evil in the purest form Anakin had ever seen. True scum. He should have killed him the moment he figured out he was the Sith master.

Together, the pair entered Bail's apartment to find grand master Yoda sitting in waiting atop on of the couches. Anakin's stomach churned when he realised that Yoda had probably seen all of their interactions with Padmé. He would have heard the death threats traded between them. Seen the very poor behaviour. At least by Jedi standards. Shame bristled within him, but anger was quick to drown it out. 

The Jedi stopped before the grandmaster, who stared up at Anakin with concerned eyes. The youngest Jedi gritted his teeth. There was nothing for them to worry about. They were over reacting. "We failed," Obi-Wan sighed. "Two more fellow Jedi have died." Anakin's anger flared when the image of a blood red blade sinking into a padawan's chest flashed in his mind.

"Not a complete failure, was the mission," Yoda shook his head. "Learned much about the Sith plot, we did." Anakin's nose wrinkled. All they'd discovered was that Sidious was constantly toying with him and manipulating through others.

"You saw our conversation with Amidala?" Obi-Wan asked quietly. Yoda nodded his head.

"Tell us much, she did," he hummed.

Anakin's jaw clenched. "We don't even know if it was the truth," he grumbled, his anger fizzing away once more. Was anything that came out her mouth credible? Of course not. She was both a Sith and a politician.

"No reason to lie, she had," Yoda told him sternly. "The truth, it was." Anakin's stomach twisted with pain. "Your gauntlet, she even fixed, to make sure you got out. Wanted you gone badly, she did. Lie, she would not have." Anakin's brows furrowed and he glared down at his cybernetic hand. She'd fixed it? That explained why the lightning hadn't affected it. He would be sure to erase whatever changes her poisoned touch had left. His lip curled in disgust at the thought. "Stop, her holo projection did, when hit by your lightning," Yoda pointed a gimmer stick towards him. A slap of shame struck his face, but it was swiftly replaced by anger. So they couldn't even use her for information anymore? He might as well have just killed her.

"It can be rebooted," Obi-Wan interjected with a sigh, kneading his forehead. "I think we should be more concerned about this bond you share with Sidious," he spoke directly to Anakin. "Goodness knows how much he might have learned from it."

"If a bond, there is, sever it, we can," Yoda hummed quietly.

*

Padmé sat in one of the sturdy chairs opposite her master's desk. The dying daylight streamed in his large windows. He was reclined into his chair, the tips of his gnarled fingers pressed together. "How was your mission to the crust?" Sidious asked impatiently, his eyes narrowed to little slits.

"The Jedi and her padawan are dead," Padmé responded. "Skywalker and Kenobi appeared and I took them into custody, but they escaped from me again." Her back was straight, her hands delicately clasped on top of her leg. A nervous buzz hummed in her abdomen but she suppressed it easily and kept her walls raised high.

"How curious they were able to find you all the way down there," he commented. Padmé withheld a frown. She'd expected him to be angry at her because of the Jedi escape.

"I just assumed they were collaborating," Padmé responded gently, weaving her fingers together.

"Of course," Sidious purred, waving his own statement away. "They probably have Jedi stationed all over the planet." A note of unease buzzed in her mind. Something didn't feel right about all this. Biting down on her tongue, she decided not to pry into her master's mind. He would certainly scold, if not punish, her for that.

"You wish for me to track them down?" Padmé asked, shifting in her seat. Although she had no particular desire to kill Jedi, if her master deemed it necessary then it was necessary.

"Hunt down and kill as many Jedi as you can," Sidious told her, darkness hooding his eyes. "I want them wiped from the galaxy."

"As you wish," she dipped her head.

*

Anakin sat silently on the floor of Bail's living room. Yoda sat behind him on the couch. The rumoured connection Anakin shared with Sidious. It was a thought that revolted him, but it was more than plausible. The Jedi grand master was methodically peeling back the layers of his mind to methodically search for this connection. One that would be invisible to Anakin himself. Although he hated the sensation, he supposed he didn't really have anything to hide anymore. Padmé had been his biggest secret and now that was all out in the open air.

Picking at the edge of his robe, a buzz of nervousness rose within him. Yoda had yet to reprimand him for breaking the Jedi code. He absentmindedly wondered if he would just be expelled after all of this was over. Perhaps they'd take pity on him after being bewitched by a sorceress. Maybe they'd think he'd learned his lesson and let his own heart do the punishing. Doubtful. They would have to have some hand in it. Closing his eyes over, he decided to put it from his mind. What good would it do him to worry about his punishment now? He would deal with it when it came to him.

"Very troubled, your mind is," Yoda commented with a hum. Anakin chose to say nothing. The Jedi master already knew what was bothering him, no doubt. "If, worried about your future with the Jedi, you are, then let it go, you must." Anakin clenched his jaw. "Be decided, your fate will, when defeated the Emperor, we have." So, it was just as he thought then. They were going to use him like a tool to dethrone Sidious then cast him aside. They'd probably even try to take the twins from him which would not happen. It could not happen. "Remove children from their parents, we do not, unless given permission," Yoda tutted. Anakin jolted, irritation rising within him. Of course Yoda could read his thoughts, he was in them. In all honesty, he'd expected a much bigger reaction if the truth ever got out about his relationship. "Dissapointed, I am, in your decision to break the Jedi code, but in the past now, it is. Let go, we all must."

Anakin crossed his arms over his chest. Just the thought of Padmé made him furious, but the thought of letting her go scared him. Maybe he had meant nothing to her, but she had been all the stars in his galaxy. Without her, he was submerged in darkness. How could he live? What would there be to spur him forwards? He mentally slapped himself. The twins. He was going to keep moving for the twins. They were relying on him and he wouldn't let them down. 

"Found the bond, I have," Yoda hummed. Anakin went ridged when the old master tugged on something. A tie to a malevolence so evil that it radiated darkness. Feeling it within himself made him sick to his stomach. His face wrinkled in disgust.

"How do I break it?" Anakin asked.

"Meditation," Yoda responded, pulling out of his mind. "Patience." Anakin could still feel the bond pulsing within him like a beating heart. "Remove each of his hooks within yourself, you must. Confront that which Sidious planted within you." Anakin pressed his lips into a thin line. Wrinkles formed between his brows. That was going to be quite a task.


	27. Aghast

Once again, Anakin was slightly amazed when he entered Padmé's apartment and found her sleeping so peacefully on the bed. She was curled into a ball away from him, her hair fanned out behind her and was stuck deep in her sleep. The feint scent of citrus told him exactly why she was in such a heavy slumber. The bedsheets outlined her small frame, the moonlight traced her button features. Even though the sight of her stoked the furnace of rage within him, he could still admit she was beautiful. Deceptively adorable. He replayed the memory of her killing a padawan to keep himself on task. Obi-Wan gave him a nod from the other side of the bed.

Anakin tugged a circular device from his belt and glared down at it. His jaw clenched. Padmé was so vulnerable. A few seconds was all it would take to rid the galaxy of her. Yet here they were, setting her up with a chip and letting her fly around freely. At the very least they should be clipping her wings. She could hurt so many more. Kill their fellow Jedi. This was wrong. They were supposed to kill Sith, not use them. A stern look from Obi-Wan made him falter. They'd had this conversation before they came out. If they really wanted the galaxy free, they needed to show it who was holding its chain. The Sith master. Padmé was the best way to get to him. 

Sucking in a deep breath, he hovered the cylinder over her shoulder where they had chipped her. It flashed green and let out a beep. Anakin went ridged at the noise. Padmé's eyes snapped open, widening when she caught sigh of Kenobi looming over her. She shot up, but Anakin moved faster. Slapping a hand over her mouth and locking her in his arms, he held her against him. A shrill scream from her was muffled through his fingers. She thrashed in his grasps, forcing him to strain and hold her tighter. Obi-Wan moved in a flash, pressing a tranquilliser to her neck. There was a hiss and her movements became rapidly more sluggish, drawing to a complete stop. 

Only when she was limp in his arms did Anakin remember how to breathe. Her touch was burning him down to the bone. They hadn't thought it would be necessary to sedate her because they hadn't made contact with her skin and she would already be knocked out by the tonic. They hadn't accounted for any noise made by their own device. They should have known better. 

Blowing out a long breath, he put her back down on the bed and planted his hands on his knees. Obi-Wan paced backwards and forwards, stroking his beard. "What do we do now? She saw us so she'll know we are planning something. She might find the chip," Anakin whisper shouted.

"I don't know," Obi-Wan sounded stressed. 

"Master Ani?" a robotic voice made him go ridged. Standing up straight, he turned to see Threepio staring at him from the doorway of the bedroom. Could this mission get any worse? Both Jedi straightened up, their backs going ridged.

"Threepio," Anakin greeted him in a low grumble. 

"Oh thank the maker you are back," he cheered, lifting his arms into the air and scuttling over. "I was so terrified you had been killed or injured or taken prisoner." When Anakin remembered how faithful the droid had been when he pestered Padmé for details about the Jedi, his heart melted a little. 

"I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me," Anakin told him, placing his hands on the droid's golden, plated shoulders. Threepio's head tilted down towards Padmé and the gears turning in his head became audible.

"Is Mrs Amidala alright? I thought I heard a scream," Threepio spoke.

"Padmé is sleeping," Anakin explained. "So, we need to keep our voices down." In truth, he just didn't want her neighbours hearing male voices coming from the apartment of a lone woman in the middle of the night.

"You aren't going to wake her up?" Threepio sounded aghast. "I know she misses you tremendously when you aren't home. She'd be delighted to know you are here." Somehow, Anakin seriously doubted that. This wasn't his home anyway. It never had been. The only one who had been faithful to him was Obi-Wan.

"Padmé can't know I was here," Anakin told him sternly, a cunning plan taking shape in his mind. Threepio's appearance could solve more problems than it created. The droid took half a step back, tilting his head in confusion. "It's for her own good," Anakin continued. "I'm still a wanted man and I don't want her dragged into it." Those words felt like acid on his tongue. "It's safer this way."

"If you insist, Master Ani," Threepio dipped his head slightly, his robot shoulders dropping.

"I need you to do something very important for me," Anakin kept his eyes trained on the droid. He felt bad for lying to him, but it was for the greater good.

"Anything," Threepio responded.

"When Padmé wakes up, I need you to tell her you heard her screaming in the night and came running to check on her but found she was just having a bad dream," he spoke every word slowly so that the droid could properly process it.

"You want me to lie to Mrs Padmé?" Threepio sounded truly horrified.

"I wouldn't ask you to do it if it wasn't completely necessary," Anakin assured him. "Can you do it." Threepio was silent for a moment, his glowing lenses locked onto Anakin.

"I'll do it," he caved with a sigh.

"Thank you," Anakin breathed. "Now go back to whatever you were doing. Padmé can't know anything happened."

"Of course. If you need anything further, let me know," the droid spoke. With that, he waddled from the room. Anakin blew out a long breath, raking his hands back through his hair.

"You can't say nothing came from your time with Padmé," Obi-Wan spoke from the darkness. "She certainly taught you how to lie."

* 

When Padmé woke the next morning, she was significantly slower to start than normal. Her body felt heavy and cumbersome to lift around. The noise of her alarm wailed, grating on her nerves. Cracking open her bleary eyes, she rolled over herself and turned off the alarm. She was submerged in a blissful silence. Sitting up, she stretched her arms above her head with a yawn. A series of clicks and cracks sounded from her back. Rubbing her face, she began smoothing down her hair with her hands. Absentmindedly, she glanced down at her time keeper. Her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. It was nearly midday. How had she slept through her alarm for so long?

Letting out a squeal, she flung herself out of bed. Padmé rushed around the room, collecting all the things she would need to get ready and flung them into a pile on her unmade bed. Her heart was pounding in her chest. "He is going to kill me," she whimpered beneath her breath. Luckily she still had time to get to her master before their arranged meeting, but she had never slept through her alarm before in her life.

"Good morning, Mrs Padmé," Threepio greeted her as he waddled into the room. "Or should I say, good afternoon." Padmé let out a long groan of response. She positioned herself in front of the mirror and began dragging her curls into a tail at the back of her head. "You had quite an eventful night," Threepio commented. Padmé furrowed her brows. An eventful night? What had happened last night. She froze. Every muscle in her body went ridged. The memory of two dark figures looming over her bed jumpstarted her heart. Her fingers traced her mouth, where rough hands had grabbed her. Not just a rough hand. She'd felt the ridged edge of a cybernetic hand. Padmé turned back to the bed slowly. Had Anakin and Obi-Wan snuck into her apartment? How could they have found her?

"What happened last night?" Padmé asked the droid quietly.

"I heard you screaming and when I came running in it seemed you were having a bad dream. It passed eventually," the droid answered faithfully, shifting on his feet.

"A bad dream?" she scrunched up her features. The tonics she drank were normally very effective at driving away nightmares. It did make sense though, because if Anakin really had snuck into her apartment he would have killed her just like he promised he would. Blowing out a long breath and running her hands down her face, she felt a little tension slip from her shoulders. "A bad dream," she repeated more steadily. Upset rose within her. The last thing she needed was for her nightmares to return. Shaking her head, she decided to shelf the issue. There were bigger things to worry about and she could cross that bridge when she got there.


	28. Cracking

Padmé slowed what had been a running pace down to a brisk walk as she entered her master's office. He was waiting for her on the far side of the room by the large, open windows. The corners of his lips were curled downwards and bright light streamed in through his windows. The busy city bustled beyond. "I'm sorry I'm late, master," she walked over to him, stopped a respectful few paces back and dipped her head in apology.

"It's most disappointing," her master grumbled, but turned back towards the glass. "It doesn't matter now anyway. There is much we must discuss," he beckoned her closer with two fingers. She moved up to stand by his side at the window. "Now that we have seized control of the galaxy, we must not get complacent," he informed her. "One wrong move or even the slightest oversight could be the chip in our casing that the jedi need to crumple us." Padmé remained silent, but her stomach tightened and her hands clasped together behind her back. "I need you to be at your best, Padmé," his yellowed eyes bore into her. "You are my invisible fist. You must be ruthless." She nodded firmly.

"I will do what I must," she nodded her head.

Sidious turned to her and gripped her shoulders. "Any show of weakness will be taken advantage of. Kindness won't keep the citizens in line," he told her sternly. Once more, she nodded. 

"I know this, master," she assured him.

"Good," he purred. There was a whoosh and one of the doors to his office slid open. In marched three troopers, dragging behind them a stout man and a woman. Padmé stifled surprise. These were the two she had interrogated to find the location of the Jedi hidden in the crust. The couple she had twisted to her will. Their hands were cuffed behind their backs and their faces stricken white with terror. The troopers kicked the backs of their legs in, forcing them to kneel before the Emperor. "Leave them with us," Sidious waved away the troopers and they trotted out of the room. Tension began wrapping around Padmé's chest.

The captives stared up with wide, frightened eyes. Sidious turned to them, wringing his skeletal hands together. "Do you remember this lovely couple, Padmé," he asked her, his eyes glinting with darkness.

"I do, master," she nodded. 

"Are they not the ones that helped the Jedi and her padawan hide in the crust?" Sidious pressed.

"They are," she confirmed.

"So why are they still alive?" Sidious asked calmly.

"Their work is essential for the crust's turbo tubes. I didn't think they would be much of a threat and I needed to transport troops to the warehouse," she responded evenly, but she already knew where this was going. Her gut was dropping at the prospect.

"We can't let this go unpunished," Sidious tutted. "They betrayed the Empire. We must make an example of them. There is no room for weakness." Padmé nodded her head, keeping the dread from surfacing on her face. "Kill them," Sidious ordered, curling his upper lip.

"As you wish," she sighed, summoning her lightsaber to her hand and igniting the crimson blade. The couple let out screams of terror and huddled close together. Her heart bled for them. She stepped forwards, preparing to strike.

"No," Sidious spoke suddenly, making her halt and look back at him. "That is far too merciful." Her stomach began twisting itself into knots. "Use your hands." Pressing her lips into a thin line, she sheathed her blade and clipped it to her belt. Although Padmé had no desire to do this, she assured herself that if she didn't her master would do much, much worse. Stepping behind them, she grabbed the man's shoulders with one hand and his face the other. He fought against her, yelling bloody murder. With all her strength, she roughly tugged his head to one side. A sickening crack filled the air. He went limp, his body crumpling to the ground. Sidious cackled in delight. When Padmé moved to the woman, she made quick work of her too. 

When she was standing over two bodies, she stared back up to her master. A glint of crazed pleasure shone in his eyes. "Well done, my dear," he praised her. He wandered closer, his flowing robes pulling over the dead bodies. "You didn't even hesitate. That's the Padmé I raised," he placed his hands heavily on her shoulders. 

"Hesitance leaves only weakness," Padmé quoted the same words he had told her over and over again.

"It does indeed," he purred. Turning his back to her, he began stalking over to his desk. Padmé followed him over, doing her best not to look down at the bodies. "I want the chance to have a conversation with you somewhere more private than this," Sidious gestured around himself and slumped down into his chair. Padmé stood opposite him, back straight and posture ridged.

"What did you have in mind?" she asked quietly.

"I want to visit the Jedi temple with you tomorrow night," Sidious responded.

"Is it wise to go alone? The Jedi know that place a lot better than we do," Padmé objected. "It could be dangerous." Padmé had only been in the Jedi temple a few times, but Anakin had told her of all the secret passages and shortcuts between rooms. If the Jedi caught them there, both she and her master would be rats trapped in their maze.

"I am not afraid of the Jedi," her master waved away her concerns. "They would be fools to go back there. I'm sure they think we have patrols around it all day every day."

"We don't?" she frowned. Surely that would have been the most heavily guarded part of coruscant.

"No, it's contents have been stripped. It's nothing but an old husk now," he informed her. Padmé nodded, a little saddened by the thought. 

"Then I will meet you there," Padmé dipped her head.

*

Anakin glared down at the holo of Padmé. She was zooming by speeder. His jaw was so tightly clenched that an ache had developed in his temples. The Jedi had collected in Bail's living room, her holo placed on the small coffee table as they observed from the couches. The curtains had been drawn to block out daylight and make her picture more visible. It felt like hot flames were burning beneath him. She had murdered that couple in cold blood. She hadn't even shown a glimmer of emotion. He was beginning to think she was no better than a droid. No, droids could be programmed for humanitarian purposes. There wasn't a good bone in her body. The thought of how close he'd used to hold her made him queasy. It was revolting. She was revolting.

"I'm not certain I understand what we just saw," Obi-Wan commented, stroking his beard.

"What is there to understand?" Anakin growled. "She is a good little soldier that does exactly as her master demands."

"Not always," Obi-Wan responded. "She did set us free."

"It doesn't matter," Anakin snapped. "Sidious and Padmé will be alone in the temple tomorrow night. It is the perfect time to strike. They'll both be off their guard." Yoda let out a long hum, staring down at his lap. 

"It is the opportunity we were scouting for," Obi-Wan agreed.

"Fear, I do, that we have no way to prove his implication in the war," Yoda responded quietly.

"We do," Anakin objected, sitting forwards. "We have the security footage of Padmé killing Master Windu and Palpatine just openly admitted to training her. There is more than enough evidence to pin the separatist movement on the Sith."

"But enough, will it be?" Yoda spoke again.

"It'll have to be," Anakin pressed. "We might not get another chance like this again."

"Rush into this, we must not," Yoda reprimanded him, making him bite down on his tongue. "Depend on this confrontation, the fate of the galaxy does." He let out a long huff of air, but stopped himself from protesting. He needed a better argument if he was going to convince them further.

A crash and shatter caught his attention. Padmé had shoved her fist into a mirror, shattering it completely. Her eyes were slightly glazed, her lips tugged downwards. His brows lifted. A show of emotion? He didn’t know she was capable of those. She cursed beneath her breath and pulled her arm back into her body. Her fingers were running with blood. “Is everything alright, Mrs Amidala?” Threepio came running into the holo, clearly startled.

Padmé changed in an instant. Hiding her hands behind her back, she sent him a warm and welcoming smile that expertly concealed the expression beneath. “Everything’s perfectly fine, Threepio,” she chuckled lightly. “I dropped the mirror.” Anakin was startled by how easily she had slipped that mask on. It made him wonder how many times she had done it to him.

“Oh dear, I’ll just get a sweeping pan,” he spoke, turning away.

“It’s fine,” she stopped him. “I’ll tidy it.”

“Are you certain?” he asked, and she nodded her head. “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.” He waddled out of the holo. Padmé immediately deflated and her expression dropped. Pain danced in her eyes. Pressing her back against a wall, she slid down to the floor and collected her legs into her chest, leaning her chin down on her knees.

“How curious," Obi-Wan commented, leaning down towards the holo. It seems all three Jedi were taken by her sudden display of vulnerability. Lifting her hands, she stared down at them in horror. They dripped steadily with blood and her eyes tracked the scarlet beads silently. 

"A conscience, Amidala has, after all," Yoda observed. Anakin's upper lip curled. He wanted to be disgusted by the pitiful state she had put herself in, but he couldn't. A tiny fraction of his anger simmered away into pity.

"I think I understand now," Obi-Wan spoke again, realisation dawning on his face. "He made her kill the couple, not to punish them, but to punish her." Anakin frowned down at her image.

"A behavioural correction, it was," Yoda agreed.

"Padmé didn't hesitate," Anakin argued. "She didn't even bat an eye."

"Surely you know not to take the emotion she displays as her actual feelings by now?" Obi-Wan cocked a brow. Anakin sat back into his seat, biting down on his lip. What he saw now was probably the only true emotion she had ever shown in front of him. "If she was raised by him, then I'd also wager this isn't the first time something like this has happened."

Finally wrapping her arms around herself, she squeezed her eyes shut but her features became etched with deep lines. As he watched her, he felt the urge to hug her close. Almost every part of him rejected the very idea, but the feeling wouldn't pass. Had he been physically with her, he feared he may have actually succumbed to it.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he squeezed his eyes shut. "If she hates it so much then why is she doing it?" he grumbled. 

"Perhaps she genuinely does believe she is doing right by the galaxy," Obi-Wan suggested.

"So she is deluded," Anakin huffed. How had something like that slipped under his radar?

"Maybe just misled," Obi-Wan offered. Sitting forwards, the light of an idea flashed in his eyes. "Perhaps we could reach her." Anakin scoffed. "Maybe she could be that final piece of evidence against the chancellor. She knows him a lot better than any of us."

"We can't crack her in a day," Anakin frowned.

"We won't have to," Obi-Wan sat forwards. "If we can kill her master and take her into custody, then we can convince her to tell the truth." Anakin glanced down at Padmé and his gut tightened. Would they be able to get through to her? Was it possible she might have some redeeming qualities? "If she has no master to answer to, then she will no longer have anyone keeping her in check. We can show her the truth of her ways."

"A feasible idea, this is," Yoda hummed in agreement. "Rally the Jedi on Coruscant, we must, to get ready for battle." Anakin's brows shot up. This was their plan? This was really their plan? He clenched his jaw and furrowed his brows. He supposed it was the best one they had.


	29. Battle

Anakin was out on Bail's balcony, a twin in each arm. The sun was setting and the mirror like buildings all around reflected the orange light vividly. Streams of traffic whizzed by. So many people were in those speeders. People that knew nothing of the tyrannical evil that had just claimed the galaxy. Knew nothing of the plots the Jedi were hatching. Knew nothing of the battle that was to occur the next night. They were ignorant. Blissfully so. What Anakin wouldn't give to be like one of them. Unaware of the guillotine dangling over his neck. Just another father making his way through life with his two children. Free of the responsibility of the galaxy. 

With a deep sigh, he cuddled the twins closer. If they could convince Padmé to help them in the end, would the twins be able to have their mother in their lives? He frowned. Probably not. Bail had told Anakin that she wouldn't even look at them when she dropped them off. Was she disgusted by them? Did she really despise Anakin so much that she hated them too? Then again, she had stuck her neck out to protect them. He still didn't know why. If she wanted them away from her master it would have been easier to kill them. Then again, he'd seen just that day how little she enjoyed killing. Maybe part of her did care for them. Maybe she didn't want them to die. Maybe she was trying to protect them. He breathed out hard and pulled his brows together. It didn't matter.

Anakin wondered if Padmé had reacted so poorly when she killed the padawan too. A dark part of him desperately hoped she did. The vengeful side of him wanted her to suffer for the horrible things she'd done. The more forgiving part of him wanted to see her set free of her delusions. To watch her reject her master's teachings. To become a little more like the Padmé he thought he knew.

"Mind if I join you?" Obi-Wan spoke, taking Anakin off guard. He had been too absorbed in thought to notice his master's approach. Anakin blinked up at him, shuffling over slightly. Obi-Wan took the seat and blew out a long breath. Leia gurgled, reaching an arm out towards him. "Hello little one," he cooed, his expression brightening. He offered the child his finger, which she readily grabbed.

"I think she wants you to hold her," Anakin smiled, passing the child over to Obi-Wan.

"I'm honoured," Obi-Wan chuckled, cradling the child close to him and tickling her stomach. She let out a bubbling laughter that filled Anakin with a joyful buzz. Luke was much quieter. His head was resting on Anakin's shoulder, his body limp with sleep.

"How is Padmé?" Anakin asked quietly. The last time he had seen her, she was cleaning glass from the floor. Obi-Wan reached a hand into his robes and pulled out a circular holoprojector. It displayed an image of Padmé. She was chopping away at what he assumed were vegetables. Bowls of all kinds were set out on a counter in front of her.

"She started cooking," Obi-Wan responded. "I didn't pin her as much of a chef."

"She loves cooking," Anakin responded quietly. "She always told me she did it a lot when she was growing up to blow off steam." Of all the things she'd told him, this was the one she was honest about? Her food always had tasted brilliant. The kind of brilliant that took years of misery to perfect.

"Perhaps you know her better than you think," Obi-Wan suggested.

"I wouldn't count on it," Anakin sighed, bouncing Luke as the little boy began to stir. Obi-Wan turned to regard Anakin with calm indifference. There was a curious softness to his eyes.

"You don't think we can reach her," Obi-Wan stated. Anakin pinched his lips into a line and glared down at the floor in front of him. A heavy feeling pressed on his chest. 

"I want to, Obi-Wan, I really do," his voice cracked and he clenched his teeth. Hot emotion welled within him, bubbling beneath his skin. He cuddled Luke a little closer.

"You're afraid," Obi-Wan concluded. Anakin stiffened slightly. He had given her free reign to his heart once and she'd crushed it under the heel of her boot. He didn't want to face that again. He couldn't face that again. "Don't go in with any expectations to succeed," Obi-Wan lectured. "Then you won't be disappointed and your emotions will remain in check, thus is the Jedi teaching."

"I don't know if I can do that," Anakin responded, shifting in his seat. "I think, despite it all, I think I still love her." He gritted his teeth. Obi-Wan sent Anakin an empathetic and supportive glance. "Don't get me wrong, I'm angry. When I said I wanted to kill her, I really meant it. Yet, when I had the chance to do it, I hesitated. Even though it was right after I watched her murder a padawan." Anakin was just as repulsed by her as he was attracted. Just like a magnet, she kept him spinning in circles. "I hate her for everything she has done, but some part of me wanted to go running to her when I saw how upset she was. It's not right, but I think part of me still needs her."

"Anakin, you have been in love with her since you were ten," Obi-Wan replied gently. Anakin's jaw clenched. He'd never made much of an effort to hide that truth, but to hear his master spell it out so clearly gave him shivers. "A relationship like yours, no matter how one sided, will take tremendous amounts of time and healing to get over." Hearing that made Anakin crumble inside. He just wanted to be freed of this torture. To be freed of her. His eyes watched her hologram as she steadily mixed together a few ingredients in her pan. "You must be patient. You will regain balance if you try." In truth, Anakin didn't know if he ever really had balance. He was always seeking the next thrill or indulging his love for his wife. It was very rarely he felt true serenity.

"I'll do my best," he sighed, leaning his cheek onto Luke's head.

*

Without the constant flow of Jedi, the halls of their temple were empty and barren. It was haunting. The force was dark and black like scorch marks on the floor. Padmé could practically hear the screams of those that had fallen reverberating through it. Order sixty-six had turned this place from a nexus of light and tranquility to a pulsing core of the dark side that oozed violence and fear. Just being in it made her hair stand on end. It was just like her home on Naboo.

Palpating walked slightly ahead of her in the large, marble corridor. His cloak dragged along the floor as he moved. Huge pillars rose from the ground to support the slanted roof. Collosal, open windows peered out over coruscant's twinkling skyline and let in the gloomy light that spotted the mural floors. Padmé's hair was tightly tied back out of her face as it always. Her muscles were taut as she peered around herself and strained at every dark shadow they passed by.

"I've always found it curious," Sidious gestured around them. "All this space and all this grandeur's but the Jedi were always so small minded. Think of all the wonders they could have done, 10,000 strong." Padmé pressed her lips into a thin line, silently following after her master. "They could have had the whole galaxy under their thumb, and yet they chose a different course of action." His sneer became audible. "They chose to protect. To serve the republic as loyal dogs." He folded his arms into his sleeves. "That was their downfall in the end, you know," Sidious remarked dryly. "Their inability to see past the senate's corruption."

"Finished, we are not yet," Yoda's unmistakable voice spoke from behind. Drawing her blade, Padmé whipped around. Her master turned too. Yoda was standing further down the corridor, Obi-Wan by his side. There was a collection of other Jedi around them. Some she recognised, some she did not. Her gut clenched when she realised she couldn't see Anakin. Sucking in a deep breath, she looked back over her shoulder. Just as she predicted, he had appeared further down the corridor. With him was another collection of Jedi. Padmé and her master were out numbered at least ten to one. Anakin's dark eyes fixed on her.

"What a pleasant encounter," Sidious hummed, folding his hands into his sleeves. Padmé was startled by her master's calmness as he spoke to Yoda with cold regard. None the less, she moved herself to guard his back. Clenching her lightsaber tightly, she felt herself break out into a cold sweat. 

"Say that, I would not," Yoda narrowed his eyes. Sidious let out a loud cackle. Padmé shifted on her feet, not taking her eyes off the Jedi before her.

"For me, it will be," Sidious snarled. Just like that, a flood of troopers poured in through the windows. Blaster fire filled the air, coupled with the hiss of the lightsabers. Before her very eyes, the vacant hall descended into a battle field once again. Bright light blushed everywhere. Voices were shouting, people grunting in pain. Lives were quickly blinking out of the force. Blasterfire was weaving all over the room. 

Sidious violently spun in the direction of Yoda. The pair became a twirling tornado of fury. Padmé had no time to reorient herself before she herself was locked in battle. Anakin came after her like a tracker shark. He pushed her hard, swinging viciously. Padmé focused on the memory of a screaming handmaiden to boost her access to the darkside. It rushed to her aid, filling her with renewed strength and skill. With the way Anakin violently hacked at her, she knew he wanted her dead with a passion. Even his presence was marbled with darkness and murderous intent. He pushed her out of the crowded battle and into a quieter part of the hallway. She let him, finding it easier to focus without so much going on around her. Padmé was defending primarily and carefully watching for any mistakes he might make. She didn't want to kill him. She had to find a way to convince him to abandon the Jedi. To run before her master got his hands on him.

"So it was all a trap?" Anakin spat, his upper lip curling in fury. She ducked beneath a particularly aggressive strike that left a molten gouge in the wall. 

"You are the ones that ambushed us," she hissed, deflecting a few heavy blows.

"You knew we were watching you," Anakin growled. "So that little tantrum with the mirror was just another lure?" Padmé went ridged. Tantrum with the mirror? Just the previous day she had shattered a mirror after being overcome by her own emotion. How did he know about that? She was alone at the time. He shouldn't know about that. Anakin took her moment of confusion and twisted it to his advantage. Grabbing her by the throat, he slammed her back into a wall and lifted her from the ground. She grasped his wrist, letting out a strained wheeze as her airflow constricted to nearly nothing.

Anakin's face was warped with dark fury as he stared up at her. Her gut tightened into knots. He was going to kill her. The determination was clear in his face. Still, her mind fixated on only one thing. Somehow, he'd seen her struggling to cope in the solitude of her own apartment. "How did you see what I did to the mirror?" she choked out, her brows pulling in together. He scowled up at her. The muscles in his jaw bulged.

"You really don't know?" he growled. She shook her head. "You're lying," he accused her venomously. "Just like you lied to Threepio." Padmé couldn't raise her shields in time to conceal the profound distress his statement caused her. His eyes widened a fraction and his grip on her throat loosened. "You don't know," he stated. His upper lip curled in disgust. "You really are just your master's puppet then." Padmé cast her eyes around at the chaos. This was all her master's doing? That was hardly surprising. What she couldn't figure out, was how. Peering down at Anakin, she realised it didn't matter. She needed to get him out of here.

"You need to leave, Anakin," she wheezed. "My master will kill these Jedi and find a way to make you his."

"I'm not an object," he snarled. "There is nothing he could do to make me join him."

"Don't underestimate him," she chastised. His expression grew nastier.

"Anakin, my boy, I'd like it if you released my apprentice," Sidious called. Padmé turned her head. The corridor was covered in bodies, troopers and Jedi alike. The stench of burned flesh was pungent. Only three remained standing. Sidious, who had Obi-Wan in a choke hold with a lightsaber levelled at his neck and Yoda was standing before them, his expression tight with concentration. Anakin let out a low growl. Using his distraction to her advantage, she planted her feet on his shoulders and roughly shoved him off of her. Landing on her feet delicately, she rubbed at her throat and backed away from him. Dark shadows covered his face. 

Sidious's yellow eyes flickered over to her, carrying obvious instruction. Padmé used the force to draw a discarded blaster to her hand and in one, clean shot she stunned Anakin. He didn't try and dodge, crumbling to the ground. The other two Jedi looked defeated. Obi-Wan's saddened gaze scanned his fallen comrades. Padmé would be upset to see Obi-Wan and Yoda die as she had grown quite fond of them, but it was necessary. 

"Shoot these two aswell," Sidious instructed her. Padmé faltered. What could her master possibly want with them? The little, green being looked up at her expectantly, sheathing his lightsaber. Blowing out a sigh, she shot two stun bolts, both hitting their mark. Just like that, it was only two Sith left standing.


	30. Chains

Padmé was standing by her master's side, watching as clone troopers loaded the three unconscious Jedi onto a transport from the temples vast and primarily empty hangar. Their armour clanked as they moved. Her pained eyes locked onto Anakin's face. Even in sleep his brows were furrowed. She was keeping her posture straight and her expression blank, but she wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball somewhere. How could this have all gone so horribly, terribly wrong in the span of on night? Sucking in a deep breath, she turned to her master. How had he known the Jedi would be here? "Master?" she spoke quietly.

"Yes, my dear?" he turned to her with a paper thin smile.

"Anakin said something that bothered me," she told him. Sidious hummed curiously. "He made comment on my personal life and revealed he had seen a moment of mine when I was completely isolated."

"They were watching you," Sidious responded, the corners of his lips curling up. "It was quite devious really." Padmé furrowed her brows and cocked her head to one side. Watching her? How could they have been watching her without her knowing it? "They put a chip inside of you that transmits information to them. That's how they found you in the crust." The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. They'd chipped her like a dog. "Arrange to have it removed," her master told her.

"Yes master," she dipped her head. 

"Also, my dear," Sidious turned to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I know how much Skywalker means to you, but surely you must see his potential." Padmé paused, her gut churning and her mouth going slack. "Didn't you feel that brilliant anger today?" his eyes sparkled with delight. "It's ripe to harvest. Just think of how powerful he could become."

"He would be an impressive Sith," Padmé agreed honestly. Anakin was already a force to be reckoned with. Without the constraints of his conscience and the lightside, he could become unstoppable. He could become more powerful than even her own master.

"With him by our sides, no one would dare to challenge us," Palpatine pressed. "He would help us make sure the galaxy was peaceful. He would be the one to enforce proper justice." Padmé bit down on her bottom lip. Her mind passed the idea around its fingers. "I know you care for his well-being, but this is his destiny." His gaze became softer and a little more meaningful. "Don't you want to share that with him?" She nodded her head mutely. More than anything, Padmé wanted to be with Anakin. More than anything, she wished their goals aligned, but they didn't. It wasn't fair, but neither is life. "Help me turn him then," her master offered. 

The simple thought of hurting Anakin made her queasy. "I know what you did at this very temple and in the crust," her master spoke again. Padmé went ridged. Her heart was pounding. How could he know about that? He shouldn't know about that. Her breath caught in her throat. He was going to kill her. Padmé leaned away from him, but she couldn't sense any anger in his presence. "I was impressed. You are finally acting like a true Sith, not just my puppet," he squeezed her shoulders. His delight unnerved her, but she accepted it none the less. "Backstabbing and treachery is key to our way of life." His grin widened. "It's obvious you care for him, so stop holding him back. Help me corrupt him."

Padmé paused to think. She had no intention of actually trying to turn Anakin. He was exactly where he was meant to be. In the light. As it was, he had poor self control. If she allowed him to fall, his aspirations would trip him up. He had a heart too pure for evil anyway. Doing all the nefarious things she did would scar him, even if he couldn't feel it happening. The man she loved would slip away and morph into something else. If Anakin did fall, she would stand by his side always, but she would do anything to prevent that happening. So, she needed to break him free. To do that, she needed to be able to get close to him. To get close to him, she needed her master to think she was going to help him. "I'll help," she answered weakly, dropping her eyes to the ground. "There is point in fighting something that is clearly meant to be."

"Wonderful," Sidious grinned. "You will not regret it. I promise you that."

*

Anakin was relieved to see Obi-Wan and Yoda alive, but that was short lived when he discovered how terrible a position they really were in. Shackles chained all of them to the walls of a tiny cell. The only lighting came from thin rods around the base of the floor. Everything was dark and gloomy. The only noise was the clanking of their chains. All of their faces looked pale and drained. Anakin was slumped against a wall, but the other two Jedi seemed deep in meditation. Bitter hopelessness was rising within him. They'd been lured into a trap once again. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he blew out a long breath. He couldn't see how they were going to get out of this one, unless Padmé decided to do them a mercy once more. Then again, they weren't in her custody. They were in her master's. He doubted she'd try to fiddle with his authority right under his nose. They were on their own.

"Don't loose hope, Anakin," Obi-Wan spoke quietly.

"Loose hope?" Anakin scrunched up his nose. "We are trapped in a sith's dungeon. No matter what we do, he is always one step ahead. Even more of our comrades are dead. There is no hope."

"Knew what they were risking, the Jedi did," Yoda spoke quietly, opening up his eyes to stare at him. 

"If it is the will of the force that we find a way out of here, then we will," Obi-Wan assured him.

"Say we do get out of here, what will we do then?" Anakin snapped. "We have no more leads. Our forces are decimated. The whole galaxy has turned against us."

"Stop fighting, we cannot," Yoda shook his head. "Still have many allies out there, we do."

The door to the cell slid open, silencing them and causing Anakin to shelf his worries. A malevolent presence poured into the room. Sidious strode in, his cloak dragging along the ground behind him. By his side like a loyal little puppy, as always, was Padmé. She still wore that blank, empty expression. He hated it.

"Good evening, gentlemen," Sidious greeted them. Yellow eyes peered out of the darkness of his hood and a delighted grin displayed a set of rotting teeth. "I must say, I was rather surprised when my little trap worked. It was rather unrefined. I suppose it goes to show how desperate you've become." Crazy glee glinted in his stare. "How the mighty have fallen."

"Have you come to lecture us to death, or is there something you want?" Anakin snapped, not caring that he was asking for pain. Sidious wouldn't kill him. He still wanted to use him. Padmé had said so herself.

"Eagerness is not bravery," Sidious tutted darkly. "I want the location of the rest of the Jedi," he answered simply.

"That, we will never give you," Yoda responded calmly, staring up at the Sith Lord in defiance.

"I wouldn't be so confident," Sidious sneered and lightning crackled between his finger tips.


	31. Pity

Padmé hated how useless she felt. Her master had been frying the Jedi with his lightning for some time. Their screams made her ears ring. The light was dancing before her eyes. Never the less, she stood perfectly still like a good little statue in the corner of the room. She knew what this was. Her master was taking both her and the Jedi for a test run. He was making sure she wouldn't intervene and testing their limits. Padmé wanted to stop him. Every inch of her wanted to beg her master enough. She wanted to throw herself onto her knees and plead he let them go, but she knew better than that. If she was really going to set them free, she needed to gain her master's trust and use that against him. Even if it came with the cost of her life.

A beep from the door made her master halt. The Jedi fell forwards against their chains, taking in deep breaths. Letting out a low hum, Sidious folded his arms into his sleeves and strode over to the door. "Stay here, Padmé," Sidious commanded before stepping out of the room. The moment the door hissed shut, she crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against the wall.

"Well that was delightful," Obi-Wan snorted, slouching over himself and raking his hands through his hair.

"Very potent, Sith lightning is," Yoda hummed in agreement. Padmé was almost amused by their willingness to talk around her. It seemed she still had some of her sweet, little senator sway. Or perhaps they didn't think her a threat after she'd freed them in the crust. Doubtful, but possible.

"You need to stop screaming," she told them coldly, trying to stop her discomfort showing on her face.

"Is it bothering you, Padmé?" Anakin growled. He was covered in a fine sheen of sweat, his dark eyes glowered up at her from where he sat on the floor. "Maybe we should do it louder."

"Your giving him power when you scream," Padmé explained with a roll of her eyes. "It fuels his connection to the dark side and gives him a greater ability to inflict harm." Anakin's eyes narrowed at her. Even Obi-Wan and Yoda traded a cautious glance.

"This isn't our first time being tortured, dear Padmé," Obi-Wan retorted.

"You'd be a fool to turn your nose up at my advice, Kenobi," Padmé responded icily. Obi-Wan pressed his lips into a thin line as he assessed her. She kept her expression hard and serious. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you jedi are trained to scream during pain to ease the feeling, are you not?" she cocked a brow.

"Help us control ourselves, it does," Yoda replied, interest twinkling in his eyes.

"It may have served you well in the past, but your Jedi teachings will only work against you now," she informed them, repeatedly glancing at the door. "My master knows them well and has learned to bend them to his advantage." Letting out along sigh, she regarded their worn out faces. "Stop screaming."

"That's easier said than done," Anakin hissed.

"Aren't Jedi supposed to be masters of self control?" she taunted him.

"We will do our best," Obi-Wan sighed. "Is there anything else we should watch for?" Padmé debated a few ideas in her head. Telling them about all this felt wrong. Like she was exposing herself piece by piece. It was however, more tolerable than watching them suffer and knowing she could help.

"If he tells you to kill someone, kill them," she stated.

"Absolutely not," Anakin snapped.

"You'll be doing them a mercy," Padmé responded calmly, expecting his reaction.

"Is that what you thought when you killed that defenceless couple. You were giving them mercy?" Anakin snarled.

"Yes," Padmé responded. "I gave them a quick death. Had I refused, a much worse fate would have been handed to them. Believe me, they would have been begging me to kill them if I hadn't then and there." A cold shiver raced down her spine at all the endless possibilities of torture Sidious could have inflicted on them. 

"We are not murderers," Anakin protested again.

"Yes, you are," she snapped. He leaned back from her, his nose wrinkling in distaste. "How many have you killed in the name of war? In the name of peace?"

"We only killed when we had to and we certainly didn't kill civilians in captivity," Anakin seethed. "Our kills were done with honour, when there was no other choice. Yours are done to prove a point. To flaunt power. To pull strings. Do not compare the lives you've taken to the ones we have." His voice was growing close to yelling. At his words, Padmé straightened up. Anger of her own flickered to life.

"If your kills were done in honour, then how can you justify Dooku's death?" she cocked a brow. Obi-Wan and Yoda seemed to crumble a little. Anakin's jaw clamped shut. Surprise gleamed in his eyes. "My master told me all about that, Anakin." Her gut twisted at the memory. That was the beginning of the end. "Don't preach to me when you don't abide by your own teachings," there was a bite in her voice.

"Dooku was a menace. He knew what he was getting into when he engaged us," Anakin spoke a little quieter.

"Do you think that couple didn't know the risks when they decided to help Jedi?" she pressed, lifting her brows.

"They didn't hurt anyone."

"They broke the law."

"This conversation is pointless," Obi-Wan interjected, silencing them both. "Padmé, you've helped us in the past to escape your master. Will you do it again?" Three sets of eyes warily rested on her. Of course Padmé would help them, but she couldn't tell them that yet. Just in case her master found a way to break them. She couldn't free them if she was locked up too.

"No," she replied coldly, resting her hip on the wall. "That's a little out of my depth."

"You always were short," Anakin grumbled.

"Oh yes, bitterness is definitely going to make me help you," she rolled her eyes.

"I don't want your help. We'll find a way out on our own," he sneered. Prideful as ever then.

"If you won't help us escape, then why are you giving us advice?" Obi-Wan asked, narrowing his eyes. Padmé faltered, having not thought that far ahead. 

“Pity,” she responded. The door to the room slid open and Sidious returned. Padmé's posture became stick straight and her arms tightened over her chest. The Jedi's faces hardened and they glared up at Sidious when he strode in.

"Ah, where were we?" Sidious cackled. He immediately resumed the torture without even batting an eye. This time, the Jedi didn't scream. They gritted their teeth and bared it. The lightning dimmed a little at their reaction and the crackle became a little less violent. It wasn't much longer until her master decided to leave them for the day. Abandoning them in their cell, he tore through the halls with Padmé fast on his heels. They past by the occasional group of troopers or janitorial staff but he only halted when he entered a first aid station.

It was small in the little nurses station. A white bed was positioned at the centre with all kinds of machines and apparatus around it. Nearly everything was white or shiny, sometimes both, and the stench of antiseptic nipped her nose and throat. A computer was nestled into the corner of the room, displaying all sorts of charts and images. With a wave of his hand, the nurse fled the room. "Stay," he growled at the droid, who all but cowered back into itself with a whimpering whistle. Padmé's stomach clenched.

"Sit on the bed," Sidious snapped. She did as he asked, perching gently on the bed's edge and watching him closely. He began rifling through a set of drawers. "I gave you an order not to talk to the Jedi when I left the room," he growled. Padmé opened her mouth to respond but thought better of it and clamped it shut once more. "I had security feed in that room, you know." A cold tremble wracked her frame. Then he had seen everything she told them about. Unable to stop herself, she began curling around her body.

"I'm sorry, master," she whispered.

Sidious stopped when he found a long, thin scalpel. When he turned back to her, his expression softened. "I know you care for Anakin, but telling him how to withstand my torture will only prolong his suffering, not ease it," he told her gently. "I thought you'd be able to stop yourself talking, but it was wrong." He took a few small steps towards her, gripping her lower face with a gnarled hand. "I'll take away your temptation." Her eyes shot open when she felt the cold metal of a blade on her throat. His force presence locked her in place. "You won't be speaking to him again. This is for your benefit."

*

Anakin was still trapped in the little room Sidious had left them in. His body burned all over. His skin was wet with cold sweat and his jaw ached from clenching it so tightly. His clothing let out the mild smell of melted fabric. Slumping back against the wall, he took in steady breaths to settle his racing heart. It seemed like the other two Jedi were not fairing any better than he. They were both in states of various disarray and leaning back against the wall. "Who would have known," Obi-Wan huffed. "Padmé was telling the truth." After they had let go of the Jedi techniques and followed Padmé's advice, Sidious's lightning hadn't had the same nip. It seems she wasn't lying.

"How unlike her," Anakin snorted. "I didn't think she was capable of pity."

"Let your anger blind you, do not," Yoda scolded him. "Hear her talk about mercy killing, didn't you?" Anakin clamped his mouth shut. If she really thought she was doing that couple a mercy by killing them, then she was more deluded than he'd first perceived.

"It explains why she was upset afterwards," Obi-Wan hummed. "I think she follows her master out of a sense of duty, but she really does pity us. Perhaps if we keep pushing, she'll help us."

"Or turn away from us completely," Anakin replied sharply. "Don't put too much faith in her."

"Is that not a risk you are willing to take?" Obi-Wan cocked a brow. Anakin opened a mouth to protest but phantom pain tore at his throat. His hands flew up and grasped it, his eyes going wide. Through the force he felt Padmé writhing in agony. Noiseless screams rang in his ears. No. Not this again. Anything but this again. "Anakin?" Obi-Wan sat forwards, concern shining in his eyes. 

"It's Padmé," Anakin choked out, his hands squeezing at his throat. "Something is hurting her." The last time this had happened, she'd been giving birth. Another intense slashing of pain that wasn't really there made him grab handfuls of his hair and squeeze his eyes shut. His body broke out into a cold sweat.

"Behind her defences, you are?" Yoda's voice hitched in surprise.

"No," Anakin aggressively scrubbed at his face. Suddenly, her screams lost their substance and became ghost like. Empty. An impression of their former power. The pain was still there though and he felt her squirming.

"For some reason, Anakin connects to her physically when she suffers," Obi-Wan explained.

"A physical connection?" Yoda hummed curiously. "Perhaps a backdoor to her mind?" Anakin tried sucking in deep breaths to calm himself, but it felt like there was liquid filling his throat. It was hot and viscous and not really there. "Follow the connection. There for a reason, it is," Yoda instructed.

Anakin winced at the prospect of connecting their minds further, but he did as the Jedi master instructed. Closing his eyes, he reached out through the force towards Padmé. As always, her mind was heavily guarded. There was no getting past that, no matter how hard he tried. Still, he allowed her suffering to draw him in closer and closer. He nearly gasped when it slipped him under her walls. "I'm in her mind," Anakin blurted, straightening up in surprise.

"What can you feel," Obi-Wan prompted him to keep searching. Anakin couldn't sense much. What he did feel, was another wall. This one was made of barbs and jagged thorns. Passing through it would be easy, but very painful. Just going near it made him uneasy.

"Another shield, but this one seems naturally formed. A last line of defence," Anakin sighed. Why did she need so many shields? The Jedi had never seen past her first one. Edging closer he poked at it, drawing in a sharp breath when a shot of fear was sent coursing through him. His hair stood on end. "I don't want to go in there," he whispered, shaking his head slowly. Padmé's attention turned to him, making him go ridged. It seemed she had much the same reaction. 

They cautiously observed each other for a few, long moments. Padmé was letting out dribbles of fear, but her mind was steadying fast and the pain slowly evaporating. She cautiously poked at his mind and he let her. He was given a brief flash of what she saw. Blood. Everywhere. All down her clothing. Soaking the bed she lay on. A medical droid whirred frantically by her side, doing all it could to help her. Upon the brief contact, she buzzed with distress. Instead of thrusting him away like he thought she might, she retreated inwards and behind her thorny walls. Anakin was tempted to follow after her, but with the way she reacted he got the distinct feeling she didn't want him there. Blowing out a long breath, he pulled out of her mind and blinked his eyes open. 

"Well?" Obi-Wan asked, the two Jedi were watching him impatiently.

"I didn't get much," Anakin sighed. "I think someone slit her throat, but she's with a medic now." Indeed, the pain was nearly all gone, taking with it their connection. He nibbled on his lip. It felt like she'd been with them just moments ago. What could have happened in such a short time?


	32. Decisions

Padmé lay on a medical bed. Her head was pounding and she felt slightly woozy. She was frozen to the bone, but too drained to shiver. The medicine in her system made her whole body numb. It was hardly apparent to her that she was still stuck in the first aid room. All her clothing was soggy and covered in bright, red liquid. Two men were mopping the floor, making light chatter between themselves. In one of her hands was a fob she had used the force to steal from them. It was no larger than her palm and shaped like a pill. She'd been on the look out for one ever since the Jedi were imprisoned because it would give her access to the water system which would allow her to sneak them out. Even in her dazed state she'd been desperate enough to recognised it. 

The men's voices passed through her mind like flowing water. She was thinking of something else, or rather, someone else. Whilst her master had been at her throat with the scalpel, she'd felt something incredibly strange. There was a little, warm light behind her walls. It had confused her because she hadn't known what it was and how it had gotten behind her defences. She'd worked up the courage to investigate it, only to feel underlying anger. Resentment. Frustration. Concern. Anakin. Just like that, she'd pulled as far away from him as she could get. 

It terrified her that he'd gotten into her head. Could he do it whenever he wanted? Had he done it before and she simply hadn't noticed? Did she accidentally show him anything he shouldn't see? He'd retreated away, leaving her mind to buzz and tear itself apart with anxiety. Had he gotten so close just to show her he could? She hadn't sensed any malice within him. In fact, all she got was an airy mouthful of surprise and curiosity. It seemed even he wasn't certain how he'd gotten behind her walls. It may have just been a freak accident. A random occurrence. He'd never be able to do it again surely.

"Ah, I've lost my fob," one of the men beside her groaned, running his hands back through his hair and catching her attention.

"Again?" The other one laughed, prompting the first one to groan. "It's fine, if it leaves the compound it'll ping the security team. I'm sure it'll turn up." Padmé bit down on her lip. If that was true, then she could also use the fob to make it look like the Jedi were nowhere near the water system and give them more time to escape. It would mean she was going to have to risk getting caught herself to do it, but she knew her master would discover it was her either way and end her life.

*

Anakin was on his knees, his arms chained to the ground beside him. This room was small too, the dim lights only coming from the ground. Directly across from him was an upright interrogation table. Why he wasn't in it, he didn't know. It was mildly stressing him out. Without any windows, he had no idea what was going on outside of this little room. Grinding his teeth, he began to scan his surroundings for any way to break free. He tested his chains by tugging at them and dug his feet into the ground. It was no use, they were more than sturdy.

Eventually Palpatine made an appearance, his little dog nowhere in sight. The Sith wore a yellow toothed grin as always. The darkside roiled and pulsed with his every breath. "How good to see you again, my boy," Sidious greeted, stopping before him. Anakin let out a low growl. "I'm sure you already know why I'm here."

"I'll never join you," he spat.

"Even after all the Jedi have done to you?" Sidious asked, beginning to pace around Anakin in circles. "They held you back. They let your mother die."

"Don't speak about her," Anakin growled, his chest burning with rage.

"But it's true," Sidious hissed. "If it weren't for the Jedi you could have gotten to her in time." Anakin's gut twisted with fury. Repressed anger blew up through his self control. He was seeing red. "My offer still stands. If you join me, I could teach you to stop people from dying so you never have to loose someone like that again." Anakin squeezed his eyes shut and took in deep breaths in a vein attempt to calm himself. This was what Sidious wanted. This was the reaction he was seeking. Sidious knew his weak spots better than anyone else.

"I don't want your power," Anakin boldly stated, violently shaking his head. "I don't want anything to do with man like you."

"Power isn't the only thing I have to offer, dear boy," Sidious responded. Putting his hands on Anakin's shoulders, he leaned down to whisper in his ear. "You and Padmé could finally be together again." Part of his soul cried out in desperation. Anakin gritted his teeth, deep wrinkles forming on the bridge of his nose.

"That relationship was nothing but lies you crafted," Anakin spoke with flint. Sidious released him, straightening up to his haunched form. 

"I had nothing to do with your relationship," Sidious responded plainly, an amused twinkle shining in his eyes. "I seem to remember telling Padmé to stay away from you." Anakin went ridged. Every muscle in his body went numb. Padmé was with him of her own free will? No he was just lying. It had to be lies.

"You planted Padmé there to manipulate me," Anakin argued.

"Is that what she told you?" Sidious asked with a chuckle. Cold disbelief began filling him internally, coursing through his veins. "Why do you think she went through all the trouble of saving you when order sixty-six was initiated and when she freed you in the crust?"

"She was afraid of being replaced," Anakin argued, a feeling of intense uncertainty rising within him.

"A cunning lie," Sidious chuckled. "If I was going to replace her, then don't you think I would have done it with Dooku? I have kept her alongside all of my former apprentices. Maul included." Anakin glared at the floor beneath him. If what Sidious said was true, then it wasn't the sweet whispers and promises that were the lies, it was the hatred and the disgust. Padmé did care, in her own twisted way. His face pulled into a grimace and he dropped his head. "Padmé loves you very dearly and I know that despite it all, part of you loves her too."

"What would you know?" Anakin huffed.

"I understand you, my dear boy. I know the thing you want most, the thing you have always craved, is her," Sidious replied calmly. Anakin felt his soul desperately reaching out for Padmé and clinging to the thought of her like an infant to its mother. He needed her. Furrowing his brows, he slapped the thought from his mind. That was not true. 

"My answer will always be no," Anakin stated assertively. Sidious's expression darkened, his upper lip curling slightly.

"We'll see about that," Sidious narrowed his eyes. Lifting his thin wrist, he pressed down on the button concealed beneath his sleeve. A few clicks later and the door slid open once again. Obi-Wan came first, bound in chains. Padmé followed close behind. She guided him to the interrogation table where she began locking him into place. Anakin's eyes followed her the whole time. There was bandage wrapped around her throat. Her skin had become pale and shallow. Dark bags rested beneath her eyes. The aftermath of her throat injury, no doubt. She wouldn't even meet his gaze. His gut clenched as fury boiled within him. It was all about the lies with her. So many lies. He'd make her tell him the truth one day. The real truth. Not her twisted version. Padmé stood off to the edge of the room, her face as expressionless as always. "You have a choice, Anakin," Sidious spoke. "Kill Obi-Wan now, or watch on as I do it." 

"Never," Anakin snapped, his eyes flicking up to Padmé. This was what she had warned him about. He supposed that was her looking out for him, in her own warped way. Her expression however, wore no tells. 

"So be it," was the last response he got.


	33. Welcome To The Collection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! This chapter gets graphic.

Sidious was taking particular care with Obi-Wan. The torture thus far hadn't been too prolonged, but Padmé could see the profound effect it was taking on Anakin. His whole body was shaking with rage. Lines were cut into his features. If he could commit murder with his stare alone, he would have killed her and her master several times over. Obi-Wan, on the other hand, was terribly pale. A sheen of sweat coated his skin. Fingers were missing from his hands. The majority of the time, his face was screwed up in agony but in the brief intervals in between, he looked drained of life. 

Padmé's heart was breaking for them, but she was struggling herself. Being in this environment with her master was dredging up all kinds of horror filled memories from the past. She could barely distinguish what screams were in her mind and what screams were real. Her hands were clasped behind her back to hide the way they trembled. Her body was frozen to the bone. A weary ache pounded in her muscles and she was incredibly light head. Although, those symptoms had been steadily easing ever since she had a few days to recover since her trip to the nurses office.

Stopping abruptly, Sidious left a panting, pale Obi-Wan on the table and strode over to Padmé. A devious glint shone in his gaze. "I think it's time I gave them a little break," he patted her shoulder. "Keep them entertained for me." He slid out of the room after a brief nod from her. A tense silence settled on the room. Obi-Wan closed his eyes over, submersing himself into meditation. Anakin was crouched to the ground like a tiger ready to spring. His force presence was alarmingly dark. She could barely feel the light in him at all. She didn't know how much longer he could cope with this. Her master would keep pushing him, keep giving him the same two options until Obi-Wan died from Anakin's blade or on the interrogation table. This process would continue for days. Padmé shuddered when she recalled the first time she went through it.

"Are you okay, Obi-Wan?" Anakin spoke quietly to his master.

"I'm fine Anakin. Nothing I haven't been through before," he assured his apprentice, but Padmé could hear the strain in his voice. If Anakin picked up on that he didn't let it show on his face. Instead, he turned his sights to Padmé. She noticed something different in his stare. Where she was used to pure hatred, she found trepidation. The anger was still as intense as ever, of course. Finding herself quite unable to hold his gaze, she stared at one of the walls and crossed her arms tightly over her chest.

"Padmé," Anakin spoke her name gruffly, making her shoulders tense. She felt like an animal in a spot light. She didn't want his attention when she was so unstable. It felt like she was made of china and she knew for a fact he was not in the mood to be delicate. "What? You won't look at us?" he goaded her. "Are we making you feel guilty?" Her toes curled. "Why don't you do something about it then?" his voice was dangerously low. She sucked in a deep breath and peered over at him. Both Jedi were watching her. One looked like they wanted to kill her, the other was watching with cold curiosity. It made her skin crawl. Padmé wanted to help them, but she couldn't. She couldn't even explain to him the security feed or the guards stationed all over the building or the fact that she'd probably be useless in a fight. 

"Nothing to say?" Anakin pressed. "That's very unlike you." Padmé considered trying to motion that she simply couldn't talk, but even the thought made hot emotion well up inside of her. She couldn't cry. That would be pitiful. Internally, she begged for him to leave her alone. "You won't even talk to us?" Anakin growled, his anger coiling around him to strike. "Not even a half hearted retort?" he pressed. She closed her eyes over, willing herself to ignore him. He didn't know what he was doing. 

"Padmé," the sternness with which he said her name made her turn to him. His narrowed eyes locked onto the bandages on her throat. "You can’t talk, can you?” She fought to keep her face blank. “Fine, but I do have a very important question to ask you." Her brows furrowed and her gut twisted. "Come here, so I can actually see your expression answer," he beckoned her towards him with the tilt of his head. Padmé glanced at the the door. She could wait outside the cell until her master returned. It would give her time to collect herself and she would face whatever punishment her master would give when it came her way. "Don't be a coward," Anakin taunted her.

Blowing out a long breath, she turned back towards him. After everything he'd just been subjected to, she supposed the least she could do was answer a question. Hopefully it wouldn’t elicit a response from her face. Mentally steeling herself for whatever was to come, she crouched down in front of him and out of arm's reach. His eyes narrowed. "Too afraid to come closer?" he jeered. "I thought I was just a child with a glowstick?" She pressed her lips into a thin line, not rising to his bait. Sensing he would get no reaction from her, he changed course. His expression settled a little. "Why did you lie?" he asked. Padmé's brows furrowed and she cocked her head to one side. There was a lot he could be talking about there. He clenched his jaw. "Sidious told me the truth. He told me the real reason you saved me in the temple and the crust." Padmé went ridged, her eyes widening a fraction. "You never cared about being replaced."

This wasn't a topic Padmé could face now. She wouldn't be able to keep her emotions in check. Her eyes lifted to the door and she began moving. "No you don't," Anakin growled. He thrust himself towards her, grabbing her wrists and tugging her towards himself. Padmé flailed in his grasps, putting up a fight where she could but her mind was still hazed by the past and in the past fighting back only meant more pain. Before she really knew it, she was trapped beneath him with her wrists pinned to her chest.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan scolded him. Padmé still writhed in his grasps, causing a terrible pain to tear across her throat. It stopped her dead for several moments. He seemed to notice it to, his eyes narrowing, but he payed it no heed. Just like when her throat was cut, his bright presence slipped behind her walls and skirted the edges of her mind. Padmé avoided him the best she could.

"Tell me the truth," Anakin growled, lowering his face closer to hers. She turned her head away from him, fear seizing her muscles. A hot, metallic taste slowly started filling her mouth. "Look at me," his tone left no room for defiance. Peering up into his eyes, she felt herself pinned by his intense, unforgiving stare. "Did you marry me of your own free will?" he asked firmly and she could feel liquid filling her throat and making her breath progressively wet and raspy. Locking her eyes on his she nodded firmly and found herself unable to stop the upset warping her features. His brows shot upwards, but it was quickly replaced by dark fury. "Why do you always lie?" Padmé grimaced and fought against him but he pushed her back down even harder. Her chest was working hard to get past the blood filling her throat. "Has everything you've told me since Mustafar been a lie?" he barked. Padmé nodded, squeezing her eyes shut to hide the tears that sprung to her eyes.

"Let her go, Anakin," Obi-Wan reprimanded him. 

"Why did you lie to me?" Anakin pressed, his heartbreak seeping into his voice. "Now that I've lost my use, are you just trying to cast me aside?" Before she could stop herself, she shook her head vehemently. His eyes narrowed. "Then why?" When she gave no reply, his anger began mounting. "Why?" he repeated.

"I didn't have a choice," she yelled internally, the muscles in her throat contracting and nearly blinding her with pain. More liquid began blocking her airway.

Anakin seemed stunned for a moment, his presence shifting in her mind slightly. Blinking, he hardened his stare. "What do you mean you didn't have a choice? There is always a choice." Padmé frowned. He'd heard her? It must be because he'd somehow slipped behind her defences. "What could have made you lie like that? Were you trying to hurt me?" he snarled.

"Yes," she replied with her thoughts. From the way his face darkened and his anger flared, she knew he'd gotten the message. "My master used me against you once with the dreams, I couldn't let him do it again." Upset was rising within her and she fought to keep it from materialising in her eyes.

"Then why didn't you tell me the truth about you? About him? About your conquest for power?" there was wounded whine in his voice. "We could have stopped all of this from happening if you'd just been honest." Those words hit her like a punch to the gut.

"I'm glad my master is in power," she responded sharply. "I still believe in his cause even if I don't support everything he does." 

Anakin clenched his jaw. "You knew siding with him would make you my enemy," he spoke lowly. "You chose him over me." 

"Did you expect me to abandon my life's work to spare your emotions?" she asked incredulously. "You are alive and free. You have the twins. What more could you need?"

"You," he snapped, the corners of his lips curling down. "I would have left the Jedi order for you. I would have given up everything for you. I would have done anything for you." Padmé couldn't stop the tears that sprung to her eyes because it was finally hitting her, just how much she'd lost. Just how much she'd hurt him. How much he'd loved her.

"That was what scared me," she whispered. Anakin observed her silently, but she could see the mounting resignation within him. Due to the liquid in her throat, she was finding it nearly impossible to breathe. With a cough, blood spluttered from her lips.

"Let her go," Obi-Wan demanded, but it was too late. The door to the cell whooshed open. Sidious strode in. The moment he caught sight of Anakin and Padmé, a crazy glint of glee shone in his eyes. Anakin released her, sitting back onto his heels. She pushed herself up to a stand, coughing as more blood leaked from her lips.

"It seems I missed quite the show," Sidious chuckled darkly, curling a finger to beckon her towards him. She went to him without a second thought, despite the way her stomach began tying itself into knots. A knobbly hand gripped her jaw, tilting her head up and exposing her neck. She went ridged. The bandages were soggy and wet on her skin. "Now what a state you are in, dear Padmé." She focused on keeping her emotions steady. 

"Perhaps you are closer to being Sith than I thought," Sidious remarked to Anakin, releasing her from his grasps and scrutiny. "Especially if you're trying to kill a bystander."

"I didn't try to kill her," Anakin snapped. 

"Trying to justify it?" Sidious asked.

"I didn't try to kill her," Anakin reiterated, stubbornness set on his face. "Whoever slit her throat wanted her dead, but I had nothing to do with that." Padmé shuddered as she remembered the feeling of cold metal digging into her skin.

"I didn't want her dead either," Sidious responded calmly, his hand slipping around her neck. She stiffened and closed her eyes over, but not before she caught sight of the look of disgust on Anakin's face.

"You did that to her?" Anakin growled. "Just how twisted are you?"

"It was rather entertaining," Sidious assured Anakin. "Have you ever heard a vocal chord snap mid scream?" Padmé squeezed her eyes shut tighter as she remembered the sensation of a ping followed sudden looseness in her throat. The only response was a low pitched growl. "Does my hurting her upset you?" Sidious taunted him. Before Anakin could respond, the Sith dug his nails deep into the injury on Padmé's neck and caused pain to burst to life. She writhed in his grasps, falling to her knees and letting out wheezy pants of breath.

"Stop it! She is your apprentice!" Anakin loudly protested, a note of upset audible in his voice. Internally, she begged him to stop reacting because he was only making it worse, but his attention wasn't on her anymore. He couldn't hear her. Sidious released her with a maniacal cackle, letting her draw in a few ragged breaths.

"Perhaps it's the wrong person I've been hurting," Sidious commented. Anakin's eyes widened. Summoning a curved blade from the interrogation table, Sidious levelled it with her throat and roughly grabbed her by the hair with his other hand. She clenched her teeth, reaching back and grabbing his wrist. The cold metal of the blade poked her skin, making her go ridged. He slowly cut through the bandages. She squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth as it fell away from her neck. With a further flick of his blade, he slit open her stitching. She heard Anakin drawing in a sharp breath.

Hot blood began streaming down her neck, soaking her clothing. With a blow to the side of her head, he knocked her down onto her back. "What are you doing?" Anakin snarled. Pulling her lightsaber from her belt, Sidious used it to form an x over her neck. If she sat up, she would be beheaded. Instantly, their throat filled with liquid and made it impossible to breathe. Pressure built on her temples and pain pounded in her skull. She began coughing, blood pouring out of her mouth. 

"Stop!" Anakin cried. "You're killing her!" Her heels dug into the ground and her hands grabbed at her neckline to stop her from reflexively sitting up. "She is your ally!" Anakin tried in vein to reason with Sidious. The corners of her vision were going black but she could make out the vague shape of Anakin tugging desperately at his chains. This was a much bigger reaction than the one he'd given Obi-Wan. 

Just as she felt herself beginning to go limp, Sidious removed the lightsabers. Twisting over herself, she coughed violently. The blood that had collected in her throat poured from her mouth onto the ground. Sidious let out a loud cackle and exited the room. Padmé flinched when she heard the specific click of the door locking behind him. She gripped her throat tightly, liquid seeping through her fingers and dripping down to the floor. Defeat pulsed through her. All of it was for nothing. Making Anakin hate her, saving him in the temple and the crust. Meaningless. Sidious was going to use her against him and there was nothing she could do about it. Hot tears collected in her eyes but she squeezed them tightly shut and pressed her forehead against the cold ground. Sidious had won.

"Padmé," Anakin mumbled to her softly. She craned her head up to look at him. Regret lingered in his eyes. "Are you okay?" Once again, his warmth skirted her mind.

"Get out of my head," she hissed. His eyes widened.

"Padmé, I can only talk to you like this when you're in pain," he informed her. "If you don't talk to me now, you might not be able to again for some time." Knowing her master, that was doubtful.

"That's ideal," she snapped. Anger boiled away within him, but he did was she asked and withdrew, leaving her to her silence.

"It seems you're in the same boat as us now," Obi-Wan commented. No, Padmé had been in this boat far longer than either of them. The door to the cell slid open and in rushed a medical droid. Relief flooded her. At least she wasn't going to die. Although, she was beginning to think that wasn't a good thing.


	34. Tonnle

Padmé pressed herself into the corner of the room furthest from the Jedi. Her legs were collected against her chest, her chin resting atop them. Clean bandages were wrapped around her freshly patched up throat and the blood had been cleaned from the floor. The interrogation table lay empty at the centre of the room. Both Anakin and Obi-Wan's restraints had been swapped for a nimble pair of cuffs identical to the pair on Padmé's own wrists. They were talking to each other in hushed tones, sending her an occasional glance. Obi-Wan had been fixed up by a medical droid too. The colour was slowly returning to his skin.

Glaring blankly at the ground, she felt the crush of defeat pressing against her chest. Even when her back ached from sitting in one position for so long, she couldn't bring herself to move. It felt like the world had stopped spinning. Even breathing was pointless. She still felt like china, but her surface was cracked. Memories of the past were playing on a loop in her mind. She used the darkside to suppress it where she could but it was constant. To distract herself, Padmé had spent a long time pondering ways they could escape the cell. The facility they were locked in was a private prison of Palpatine's. One she had visited frequently. So, she knew her way around it well. It was built expertly to keep Jedi in, but she was no Jedi. 

Sidious had already revealed to her that the cells had security footage and she had a feeling that would be her easiest way to escape, but she was struggling to decide what option was best. Padmé could pretend to die or collapse and it would certainly trick those watching the feed, but the Jedi wouldn't be fooled and there was no way of clueing them in without also informing their observers. Not unless she inflicted serious pain on herself. The other idea she was toying with was provoking the Jedi into trying to kill her or fight her. The observers would have no choice but to break up the fight to stop them killing each other.

"I can't watch him hurt you like that again," Anakin spoke in a low tone. "I can't watch him hurt her like that." Upon hearing those words, her brows furrowed darkly.

"You must," Obi-Wan continued. "The longer you hold on, the longer we have to find an escape." Anakin blew out a harsh breath of distress. She could feel unease rising within the pair.

"When we get out of here, we are taking her with us," Anakin spoke with bitter certainty. Padmé's jaw clenched and she glared over in his direction. They were watching her closely.

"Yes, definitely," Obi-Wan agreed with a nod. "Who knows how Sidious will use her against us if we don't." Her eyes narrowed to slits. The only way they could get her to go with them was if she was cold and dead. Padmé wouldn't trade one imprisonment for another, no matter who the jailor was.

"If you have a complaint, feel free to voice it," Anakin said sharply. Padmé curled her upper lip. He placed a hand to his ear. "I can't hear anything," he feigned surprise. "Can you?" He turned to Obi-Wan, who let out a long sigh and pinched at the bridge of his nose. Pettiness rose within her. Lifting a hand, she stuck up her two middle fingers in the shape of a V, a very rude gesture on Coruscant. Anakin's eyes narrowed. "I wonder if you'll have the nerve to do that if I come over there," he growled. Padmé's chest did tighten at the thought, but instead of letting it show she repeated the gesture with her other hand. He shifted to move, but Obi-Wan grabbed his upper arm to halt him.

"We are not going to get her cooperation by antagonising her," Obi-Wan scolded him. It was difficult to look Anakin in the eye after all she had admitted, but she was doing her best to hide that.

"I don't think she plans to cooperate anytime soon," Anakin gestured to her hands. Hearing the irritation in his voice, she realised this was exactly what she needed. An attack out of the blue would do nothing. An attack after being repeatedly provoked would seem a lot more plausible. Uncurling herself, she settled into a cross legged position and maintained steady eye contact. She then shot him a basic sign from finger based language that every half witted person on Coruscant knew not to use unless they wanted to really piss someone off, and she most certainly did.

"Oh my," Obi-Wan tutted with a shake of his head. Anakin's face became murderous and his anger thrashed around him in the force. He pushed himself to his feet, prompting her to rise with him.

"How do you have the nerve to do something like that when it's your fault we are trapped in here in the first place," he growled, pacing closer to her. Padmé lifted her brows and crossed her arms over her chest. "If it wasn't for you, your master would never have risen to become Emperor and thousands more Jedi might still be alive to fight him." She rolled her eyes. "Did you just roll your eyes?" he snarled in outrage, taking a few more steps towards her. They were hardly an arms length apart. He towered over her, practically shaking with anger. "How can you not care about any of those lives in the slightest?" he threw his arms out to the sides in emphasis. She gave a nonchalant shrug. The fury storming in his eyes overtook his whole expression. 

Anakin leaned down so that their noses were nearly touching. "You're just trying to get under my skin," he spoke in a deathly quiet voice. Her jaw clenched. "I know for a fact you care a lot more than you let on." he poked her in the chest with a pointed finger. She arched a brow, leaning closer to him and daring him to continue. This was it. If she could make him keep going, he would give her a reason to attack him. He grabbed her upper arms roughly. "Don't forget, we saw your little meltdown with the mirror. You've involuntarily shown us your true colours." She kept her expression unimpressed despite the knot that formed in her chest. "You can pretend all you like but it all boils down you're nothing more than one of your master's cracked little toys." 

Padmé didn't have to fake the anger that flashed across her face. Lashing out, she shot a fist out to punch him square in the gut but he jumped back out of her way. Not wasting a breath, she lunged for him again. He ducked beneath a few strikes, one of her kicks skimming past his face. Suddenly, Obi-Wan grabbed her from behind and pinned her arms against her body. "Stop this," he scolded. "Fighting is pointless." Padmé begged to differ. She drove an elbow into his gut. Letting out a strained wheeze, he released her and staggered back a few steps. Her freedom didn't last long. Anakin grabbed her, pushing her face first up against a wall and locking her arms behind her back.

"Give up. This isn't a fight you'll win," Anakin snapped. Although that may have been true in the long run, she just needed to keep them off her for a little while longer. Curling in on herself, she planted her feet on the wall and pushed off of it hard. It sent them both careening backwards. With a few twists, she broke his grip and flipped out of his arm's length. She spun around to attack again, but the door to the cell whooshed open and a trio of troopers with raised blasters raced in. 

"Break it up," a trooper shouted, the door hissing shut behind him. Padmé didn't even think before she moved. She flipped behind them, thrusting her elbow into one of their backs and using the force to send the other two slamming into the wall opposite. All three crumbled to the ground in unconscious heaps. Using the force, she summoned a discarded blaster to her hand and shot the door's access panel. It sparked and exploded, but the exit opened once more and remained that way. 

Hooking the blaster to her belt, she looked back up towards the Jedi. They were watching her with mild trepidation. She gestured to the open door and nodded for them to follow her. They shared a look, but began walking towards her none the less. "So all that fighting was for show?" Obi-Wan queried. She nodded. "I feel violated," he shuddered.

"Welcome to the club," Anakin sighed, anger still burning in his eyes. Padmé sent them a victorious grin and stepped out into the corridor beyond. Just like that, red lights began flashing in the halls and a loud siren wailed. "Where is Yoda?" Anakin called to her over the noise. Nodding her head, she once again beckoned them to follow her. Bursting into a brisk run, she wove through the long corridors and used the force to dispatch of any troopers they came across. It wasn't long until she stopped before a large, cell door. Plucking her blaster from her belt, she shot the access panel and opened the entrance. Residing in the darkness within was the tiny form of Yoda. Upon seeing her, suspicion flashed in his eyes. His wrists were cuffed together. Obi-Wan leaned in the doorway, encouraging the master out. 

Padmé started down the corridor, once more beckoning them to continue. They followed her, albeit a little more reluctantly than before. She supposed that was fair, considering they had no idea where she was leading them. Perhaps the only reason they did follow was because she was in the same predicament as them and she hadn't lead them astray in the crust. Before long, she led them into a small, boiler room. Huge pipes protruded from the wall, some with large hatches and others with access panels. The air was thick with must.

Leaning against one of the larger pipes on the back wall, that rested at a sharp upwards angle, she began tugging off her boot. The Jedi glanced around. "Escaping into the water system is a good idea, but none of these pipes can be opened without a keycard," Anakin spoke. Padmé sent him a dry look. Pulling up the sole of her shoe, she uncovered the little fob she had stolen within. Plucking it out she brandished it before him and yanked her boot back on. 

"You were planning to get us out this whole time," Obi-Wan remarked. "How devious." She simply rolled her eyes. Pressing the fob against an access panel, the hatch to the large tube swung open. The heavy rush of water became audible. Leaning against the open hole, she gestured for them to go in. Anakin and Obi-Wan traded a look. "You're coming with us, aren't you?" Obi-Wan asked slowly. Padmé looked at him as though he was trying to tell her Coruscant wasn't real.

"Sidious nearly killed you," Anakin argued. Padmé shrugged, she had other work to do before she could flee. She needed to dispose of the fob on the opposite side of the complex. "Your master will know it was you that helped us escape," he continued. When she gave no response, Anakin jutted his jaw to one side in irritation.

"Padmé knows her master much better than we do," Obi-Wan told Anakin, their eyes locking for a strangely prolonged period of time. "I think we should let her be."

"Fine," Anakin huffed. Padmé narrowed her eyes, suspicion rising within her. She watched them closely as Yoda jumped into the slanted pipe. Obi-Wan leaned into the hole, peering down into its depths. Anakin walked up to her and planted his hands on her shoulders. She tensed, staring up at him in confusion. "Thank you," his voice rumbled with gratitude. "But, I'm sorry." There was no time to process his words. Anakin crushed her against himself, and with a shove from Kenobi they were both sent tumbling into the pipe. 

Darkness blinded her and rushing water swept them down the pipe at such a speed her stomach began flipping. Water crashed into her from all directions, splashing up into her face. The metal of the walls offered no resistance to slow herself down. She skidded over it like she was weightless. The only stable thing she could cling to was Anakin. He gripped her tightly, pressing her against himself. She hung onto his arms reflexively. The muscles in her throat tensed, accompanied by a whoosh of air and terrible pain. Had she been able to, she would be screaming. They shot out the bottom of the pipe together into a wide tunnel that was also filled with rushing water.

They were sent plummeting into the freezing liquid. Padmé took a few moments to reorient herself, but by then it was too late. Wrapping her in his grip so tightly she couldn't move, Anakin tugged her up to her knees in the shallow water, kneeling behind her. She immediately began thrashing in his grasps and dug her feet into the ground to try and push away from him but they slipped on the bottom. Obi-Wan shot out of the tunnel, landing on his feet. "Stop fighting," Anakin grunted, squeezing her so tightly she was struggling to breathe. "This is for your benefit." Those words abruptly stilled her because they had been the exact ones her master said before he cut her throat open. Her heart began racing and hot panic burned her internally. Gritting her teeth, she glared ahead. 

It was then that she saw it. The little fob bobbing in the water. Her blood ran cold. Those things sent a location back to the prison if they were removed from the premises. Her master would know where they went. That really spurred her into motion. Fighting him even harder than she had before, she desperately tried to break his grip. "Stun her," Anakin barked to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan nodded, pulling the blaster from her hip and aiming it at her. Padmé's eyes grew to the size of saucers. She shook her head violently, but he pulled the trigger anyway. With a flash of blue, she felt her consciousness blown straight from her body.


	35. De-Stun

Anakin trudged through the knee deep water with Padmé over his shoulders. The tunnels were long and dark, his clothing still dripping wet. A damp musk filled the air and every noise echoed. Beside him, Obi-Wan walked with Yoda on his own back. All their cuffs had been blown off with the blaster, aside from hers. They had been debriefing the grand master on their decision to bring Padmé with them. Although Anakin hadn't particularly wanted to stun her, she would have fought him every last step of the way and a dead weight was much easier to carry around than a weight that fought back. "So, muted her, Sidious did," Yoda hummed, a dark curiosity shining in his eyes. "Strange, when considering her role as senator, that is." He scratched at his chin. "Her most important asset to him, would her voice not be?"

"Not anymore," Obi-Wan rumbled. "She left the senate. I don't think he requires her political sway." In the time she had left the senate, she had been up to lots of other nefarious things and skulking around in the shadows to act on her master's will. 

"I think he did it because she told us how his torture works," Anakin sighed. "Sidious had people watching the cells constantly and I don't think he would have overlooked her giving advice on how to tolerate him." The Jedi Master let out a pensive hum. "We also know how little he cares about her life," he added. "He would have drowned her just to get at me." The memory of her pinned on her back, spluttering blood was seared into his mind. It terrified him, what might have happened if they hadn't broken out when they did or what Sidious would have done to her had they left her behind. 

"Such, the ways of the Sith, are," Yoda responded calmly. "To use others with no remorse." Anakin chewed on the inside of his cheek. One thing he certainly knew for sure, was that Padmé felt remorse. At least enough to rattle her when she killed. Perhaps she was a lot less Sith than he thought. "To do with her, what do you plan?"

"I don't know," Anakin responded honestly. There hadn't been much time to think about how he was going to keep her away from Sidious. "The one thing I know for certain is that we can't let her return to her master. He'll use her to lure us out of hiding now that he knows I can be provoked with her." His grip on her limbs grew tighter.

"So not an abduction, this was, but a rescue," Yoda commented.

"I doubt she'll see it that way," Anakin replied with a huff.

"With time and patience, you might be able to change her mind," Obi-Wan comforted him with a sympathetic smile.

"I don't know," Anakin frowned with a sharp exhale. "Padmé was raised by him. All of his ideals will be carved into her mind. How can I hope to get around that?"

"Well she betrayed him to help us several times, did she not?" Obi-Wan pointed out. She hadn't done it to spite her master, she'd done it for Anakin. A concept he was still struggling to wrap his mind around. "What I'm trying to say, is that she won't just blindly follow every order he gives her." Anakin pressed his lips into a line. "We might not be able to purify her, so to speak, but we could certainly find a way to make our goals align." Anakin was about to agree when he felt her shifting slightly on his back.

"I think she is about to wake up," Anakin felt himself tensing a little as he ground to a halt. "Get ready to stun her, just in case we can't 'make our goals align'." Obi-Wan nodded, his hand shifting to rest on the blaster hanging from his hip. She shifted slightly again, although this time it was quickly followed by a reaction. Breaking Anakin's grip, she jumped off of him like his touch burned. Landing on her feet, she glanced around quickly. A little wrinkle formed between her brows.

"Before you try anything, don't," Anakin told her sternly. Padmé turned to him, opening her mouth as if to protest and then clamping it shut tightly. It almost amused him that she herself had forgotten she couldn't speak. Gesturing to all four of them, pointed upwards. A glint of irritation shone in her eyes. "You want us to go up?" Anakin cocked a brow. She shook her head and pointed up again. "You want to leave the water system?" he guessed and she nodded. "Why?" he pressed. Padmé nibbled on her lip, her eyes glazing over in thought for a few moments. Gesturing for something small, she pointed to her boot. He stared at her in confusion. A small boot? Epiphany struck. "The fob?" he asked sceptically and was amazed when she nodded her head again. "What about it? We left it by the tunnel entrance." Padmé pointed to her shoulder in the exact spot they had chipped her. His gut clenched. "It had a tracker in it?" he guessed. She nodded once again. "Why would you take an item that has a tracker in it?"

Padmé shot him a dirty look. "In fairness, I don't think she was planning on taking it out of the prison," Obi-Wan hummed. Padmé nodded in his direction, giving Anakin a look that screamed 'exactly'. A look she gave him in the past whenever she proved herself right when they were arguing. It normally infuriated him, but in this instance he was temporarily stunned. "We took a different route from the direction of the water the fob fell into," Obi-Wan told her. "We will be some distance from it by now."

"Be searching for us down here, Sidious will," Yoda interjected. Anakin jutted his jaw to the side. The water system was probably crawling with troopers by now. Running into a single squad wasn't an issue. Even unarmed, the Jedi could cope with them. The issue came from the reaction it would cause. It they triggered a bee, the rest of the hive would soon attack. They needed to tread carefully.

"Padmé is right, we should get out of the pipes," Anakin sighed.

"Let's keep moving and keep our eyes peeled for exits," Obi-Wan agreed.

Just before they started moving, Anakin turned his attention to Padmé. "We'll let you walk for now, but if you do anything that even makes me suspicious that I might be suspicious, you will be stunned again," his voice was ridged and low. She lifted her hands in surrender, but her face was that of a scolded child. He'd expected a more volatile reaction when she woke up, wether that be to try and escape or attack him for stunning her.

Together, all four of them progressed through the tunnels. Anakin walked a few paces behind Padmé to make sure he could see her at all times. There was no way he was letting her escape back to her master. Not as long as he still drew breath. She could protest all she wanted and he wouldn't care.

As he watched her, he found himself lamenting her confessions. Padmé did care about him. Enough to want to marry him and enough to stop her master from twisting him. He would have thought it would benefit her for him to turn to the dark, but the more he considered it, the more evident the truth became. She didn't want him to change. She didn't want to see him corrupted. She didn't want to watch him become like her. Perhaps she thought she was sparing him pain. He almost snorted. It was the exact thing he was doing to her now.

It did feel like a stab to the heart when he remembered her telling him her work was more important than him. Even when she was a senator, it was something he'd always kind of known and always definitely feared. To hear her openly admit it was just twisting the blade imbedded in his heart. When he watched her suffering at her master's hand, he found himself pondering if she understood how awful Sidious was. Maybe, as Obi-Wan said, he could show her with time and patience.


	36. Back

Padmé was grinding her teeth as she trudged through the tunnels. This was not her how her plan was supposed to be going. By now, she was supposed to be facing her master's wrath and the Jedi were supposed to be hidden safely somewhere in the city. The tunnels around them were dank and miserable. The echoing noise of footsteps was grating on her nerves. The Jedi had been silent ever since she had woken up and she wasn't certain if it was a blessing or a curse. Their mindless chatter would have distracted her from this failure of an escape but it was just that. Mindless. No doubt it would just end with them irritating her to get a reaction. Something they seemed very fond of doing recently. 

Anakin also seemed very up tight. He was watching her every move like even blinking was an escape attempt. Although she didn't blame him for his caution, it was making her blood boil. Especially when she wasn't planning to flee them. Not yet at least. As she was with them, she might as well stick around to make sure they got out of the tunnels okay. Then, she would find a way to sneak away whilst they weren't paying attention. 

The sound of a communicator beeping made all four of them freeze. Further down the tunnel, the sound of troopers talking quickened her heart rate. Obi-Wan motioned for them all to creep backwards. Padmé followed them as they retreated. The water sloshed around her shins. "Halt!" a trooper called. She peered back over her shoulder. Clones were piling into the tunnel, their blasters raised. At this range, they would be killed.

"Run," Obi-Wan barked and all of them took off into a sprint. It was difficult to run with her hands cuffed like they were, but she did her best. Blaster bolts shot past them, boiling the water and scorching the walls. The clones were shouting locations and coordinates into their comms. She hissed through her teeth. They ducked into a side tunnel and wove through a maze of criss-crossing pipes. When the noise of the troopers died down, they halted to catch their breaths.

"Now that they've found us, they'll swarm the area," Anakin grumbled, running his hands back through his hair.

"We need to find a way out of here," Obi-Wan hummed, stroking his beard. Yoda still clung to his back.

"That's why we've been trying to do," Anakin argued. "This place it more difficult to escape than the Coruscant catacombs." Padmé's brow wrinkled. She'd been lost in that place many times. The memory alone was enough to make her shudder.

"Perhaps, to the catacombs, we should go," Yoda suggested. Padmé looked at him like he'd spoken a sentence with a proper galactic basic structure. "Help us, the well shaft will." She clenched her jaw. The well shaft was a huge tunnel that all the main streams of the water system poured into. It led down deep into the crust, where the catacombs lay. The only issue was how long the drop could be. They could use the force to slow the fall, but even that had its limitations.

"All water flows in the direction of the well," Obi-Wan nodded. "If we follow the stream, we'll find the shaft." They had already been heading in the direction of the water for some time. The well couldn't be too far away. Wordlessly, they began walking again. This time, they were a little more cautious and peeked around corners before turning into a new tunnel of pipe. They made steady progress, sneaking around the constantly increasing patrols of troopers. The water flow was getting deeper and flowing more rapidly. They were getting close to their destination.

There were taken off guard when a trooper spotted them from behind. Once again, they were racing through tunnels with blaster bolts snapping at their heels. They burst out into an open space where two tunnels combined into one much larger one. More troopers were racing towards them. They were completely cornered. Padmé readied herself to fight, as did the Jedi. Instead of firing, the troopers formed a circle around them with blasters raised and ready. She lifted her fists, going back to back with the other Jedi. It was useless though. If the troopers decided to fire, they would be dead. The water violently splashed at her shins. It was powerful enough to sweep away her feet if she stopped paying attention.

A cackle echoed around them, making her hair stand on end. From the darkness of one of the tunnels, her master emerged. Yellow eyes peered out from under his hood and his face was twisted into a wolffish grin. "I must say, I did not expect a further betrayal from you, dear Padmé," Sidious hissed, stepping into the ring of troopers. She adverted her eyes. Her pulse began racing.

"What else would you expect after slitting her throat?" Anakin growled, his eyes narrowing.

"That sort of thing has never bothered her before," Sidious snorted. "She did this for you, dear boy." She wished he wouldn't put words in her mouth, no matter how true. Anakin glanced at her, his lips thinning into a line. Sidious nodded to two troopers, who waded through the water towards them. One roughly grabbed Padmé, the other Obi-Wan and pulled them away from Anakin, downstream. Blasters were levelled at their heads. Anakin glared down at Sidious, his hands clenching into fists. "I'm going to give you a choice," Sidious told him. "Padmé or the Jedi. Only one of them will live." Tightness wound around her chest. Anakin glanced up towards them helplessly. He didn't know what to do. "And you'll kill them yourself, or they'll all be executed." Anakin's head snapped back around towards him, his jaw falling open. "Choose," Sidious goaded him.

"No," Anakin murmured, shaking his head slightly.

"Then they all die," Sidious sighed, lifting a hand. The trooper that held her cocked his blaster.

"Fine," Anakin blurted. "I'll do it." His eyes grew to the size of saucers. Padmé's gut tightened. She supposed this was it for her. Panic made her mind reel.

"Wonderful," Sidious cackled, reaching into his sleeve and pulling out his lightsaber. He passed to to Anakin with a grin. Anakin's eyes flicked over to the captives, his jaw clenching. He ignited the blade and swung for Sidious. It was futile. Her master zapped him with force lightning before the blade could connect. Anakin fell to his knees with a shout, dropping the lightsaber. Lightning crackled through the water, frying everyone but Sidious. The troopers collapsed with shouts of agony. Padmé and Obi-Wan fell too. 

Blinding pain spider webbed across her skin. Water sprayed her face. Despite the way lights danced across her vision, she could still see Anakin writhing. Her heart clenched. She wanted to scream for her master to stop hurting him, now more than ever. Catching sight of the discarded lightsaber bobbing towards her, her gut made a decision without her logical input. Grabbing the blade, she pushed through the pain she knew so well and sprung at her master. In a flash of red, the lightning stopped. She cut Sidious's hands clean off, leaving molten stumps in their place. 

It was her master's roar of pain that brought her back to her senses. Dropping the lightsaber in horror, she slapped her hands over her mouth and staggered backwards. Anakin was the first to react. Summoning the blade to his hand once more, he jumped to his feet and lodged the scarlet blade deep into her distracted master's heart. Her eyes widened. He let out a dying hiss. She took several more steps backwards. Fear pumped through her veins. She'd just hurt her master. Anakin had killed her master. It felt like the world was toppling down around her. What had she done? Anakin yanked the blade out and Sidious's body crumbled into the water. Part of her expected him to burst back to life and inflict her with pain until she pleaded for mercy. Hot panic prickled her insides.

Backing away further, she began retreating into the darkness of the tunnels. A tremor wracked her body. A harsh whisper spread between the clones as they began picking themselves up from the ground. Anakin was quick to start cutting them down with the crimson lightsaber. Blaster fire shot around, the noise of the bolts echoing loudly. The troopers fought well, but they were no match for him. Her heart was pounding and her chest became so tight she could barely breathe. Padmé turned and began moving faster away from the mayhem. The water reached her hips, dragging her forwards. 

"Padmé," Anakin's voice called after her. She'd hardly made it any distance. Fear broke her out into a cold sweat. She glanced back over her shoulder. He was standing in the mouth of the tunnel, lit by the red glow of a saber. His chest was heaving and his dark gaze fixed on her. Goosebumps erupted on her skin. Every fibre of her being told her to run, so that's exactly what she did. Throwing herself into the water, she swam down the tunnels and was propelled by the quick current. "Padmé, stop!" he shouted again. She didn't need to look back to know he was chasing after her.

Padmé kept swimming. All she could think about was escaping. She didn't notice how deep the water was becoming. She didn't hear how fast it was flowing. She didn't realise what was coming, until it was too late. When she saw the end of the tunnel, she couldn't stop before her momentum threw her out. What was beyond made her heart leap into her throat. A gargantuan, gaping hole stretched down so deep she couldn't see the bottom, just darkness. Hundreds of tunnels identical to the one she'd been ejected from spewed out streams of water that poured into the depths. A few rusted bridges crossed its tunnels breadth. This, was the well shaft. 

As she free fell, her gut did flips inside of her. Her mind went completely blank. Wind whipped against her face and her heart beat against her ribs. Something clamped tightly around her waist. She jolted in fright, looking back to see Anakin holding her tight. He swerved in the air, aiming them for one of the rusted bridges. Using the force, he slowed them down rapidly. Anakin landed in a crouch. Not with enough force to kill them, but enough to make the bridge break. They were falling again and slipping over the rusted surface.

They stopped with a jolt. Padmé's arm was nearly yanked from its socket. Anakin had grabbed her wrist with one hand and was clinging to the last wrung of the bridge that dangled precariously from the side of the well. She blinked hard to collect herself. The drop below seemed to descend into endless darkness. Anakin let out a strained grunt. The bridge began to creak and groan. Heated bands of tightness squeezed her skull. She gritted her teeth and violently shook her head. "Padmé," Anakin spoke name with a strained wheeze. "Calm down."

All she could think about was getting away and hiding. All the ways her master had wounded her in the past for fighting back played like a loop in her head. She couldn't let that happen. She couldn't let him hurt her like that. Anakin was the only thing anchoring her down and stopping her from fleeing. She tugged at his grip, the chains on her wrist clinking as she moved. "Stop," he objected, his eyes widening in fear. "The drop is too far. It's too risky. Don't try it." Although she heard his words, she didn't care. She tore her hand from his grasp. Once more, she was plummeting into the depths of the well. "Padmé!" he screamed after her. 

Padmé watched as his form became tiny and vanished high above. She descended into the depths of the planet. The dark side wrapped around her, slowing her fall. She would have slowed enough to land harmlessly on her feet, but the pitch black stopped her from noticing other obstacles in her path. She hardly even registered she'd hit something, when the life was knocked out of her.


	37. Searching

The darkness of the catacombs was only fought off by the glow of Sidious's red saber. Tightness wound around Anakin's chest. He stood at the very base of the well. A meagre stream of light beamed out of it. The thunderous flows of water all all collected into one, huge basin that split off into many different streams that ran through the catacombs. It was so loud he could barely hear himself think. So far, he'd searched through all of the surrounding area and travelled down each pathway, carved by a canal. There was no sign of her. Running a hand back through his hair, he squeezed his eyes shut and blew out an unsteady breath. There had to be something he'd missed. 

In his mind, he could picture her perfectly. She'd been terrified. Her eyes were wider than he'd ever seen them and she was shaking so hard she was practically vibrating. For the first time, her emotions had bubbled up over her walls. Her fear had been so thick it was suffocating. What had scared her so much, he wasn't certain. His best bet was that she hadn't intended for her master to die. What he did understand was that something had bothered her enough to make her act erratically enough to get her killed. Although he didn't want to believe she was dead, he couldn't feel her in the slightest. Not her pain, not her fear, not even her shields.

Wading through the water of a shallow canal, he turned back into the pitch black catacombs. The red glow illuminated the holes dug into the walls with all kinds of skeletal remains resting within. He desperately hoped Padmé wouldn't become one of them. Chewing on his bottom lip, he pressed further. His eyes and ears were trained for any sign of life. The sound of rushing water faded behind him and a dusty musk tickled his nose. A beep from his wrist com made him jolt. Obi-Wan had given him one before Anakin ventured down here in search of Padmé.

Pressing down on the device, he brought it up to his face. "Obi-Wan," he greeted. "How is everything on your end?"

"It's going well," Obi-Wan's voice crackled out of the speaker. "The high court have agreed to give us three days to collect our evidence against the Emperor to clear our name."

"Will we have enough?" Anakin asked. 

"That's uncertain," Obi-Wan sighed. "All we can do is gather what we have." Anakin pressed his lips together. If they'd had Padmé, this might not have been am issue. She might have been all the proof they needed. Getting her to testify however, would probably have been quite the task. "Have you found any trace of Padmé?" Obi-Wan asked gently.

"No," Anakin admitted, his heart drooping at the thought. "I can't feel her either. I have no way of knowing where she might be."

"Perhaps you should return to the surface," Obi-Wan suggested.

"I can't leave her down here," Anakin objected.

"If she was injured and in need of help, you'd be able to feel it," Obi-Wan told him calmly. "If she did manage to land safely, she will most likely have already escaped into the city. There is nothing you can do for her now." Anakin clenched his jaw and furrowed his brows. "If Padmé somehow survived, she'll resurface eventually. Until then, the twins need you." That made Anakin wince. He'd been away from Luke and Leia for far longer than he would have liked. It was more than time he returned to them.

"I'll be there soon," Anakin sighed, ending the call. 

*

Later that evening, Anakin was sat on the floor of a hotel room. Nearly everything was cream or white. Two, large double beds took up the majority of the small space. Obi-Wan was seated atop one of them with the twins laid out before him. He was dangling toys above their heads, earning him giggles of delight. The curtains were drawn and yellowed light shone down from above. The stench of floral air freshener burned in Anakin's nose. He was sitting with R2 opened up before him. Inside was a spaghetti of wires that would look like just a mess to the untrained eye, but he wasn't untrained. He was expertly fishing through it for the parts of the droid he needed. It had occurred to him that R2 still had old holos of Padmé trapped within his core. They may not end up being useful for the trial, but they wouldn't know until they saw them.

A wire sparked and R2 let out a squeal of protest. "Sorry buddy," Anakin patted the droid's domed head. R2 responded with a low whistle of irritation.

"How is it going?" Obi-Wan asked curiously, peering down at Anakin from over the edge of the bed.

"I'm nearly there," Anakin mumbled, working away. "I think I just need to-" there was a click and the little droid started projecting a hologram of Padmé. Her face was rounded with youth. She was hugging her legs against her chest and resting her chin on her knees. Sad, dopey eyes watched something far in the distance. The Jedi traded a look. With a flick of his hand, Anakin turned off the lights so that the holo would better snap into focus.

A little holo of R2 rolled up to Padmé, chirping in greeting. She lifted her head and smiled at him. "Hello R2." Anakin got goosebumps hearing her talk. R2 thrust out a tiny arm and pinched her side. "Ow," she protested, frowning at him. "What was that for?" The droid let out an annoyed series of bleeps and whistles, menacingly waving his arm around. "I'm sorry I've been gone for a few days," she apologised, a tired look crossing her face. Only then did the bags beneath her eyes and sunken cheeks become apparent. Anakin leaned back against the side of the bed and crossed his arms over his chest.

R2 whistled in outrage once more. "I can't tell you where I've been," she shook her head. R2 objected. "You serve me perfectly well with your current knowledge," she responded. He argued again and she pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "R2," Padmé interjected his ramblings, but he kept going. "R2," she tried again, her voice a little more commanding. R2 began rocking from side to side with the intensity of his rant. Anakin couldn't help the smile that came to his face. It seemed the droid hadn't changed at all. "Stop," Padmé pushed her face into her hands. The complaining continued. "I don't want to talk about it," she warned him. This only got the droid more heated.

"Fine!" she snapped, reaching out and grabbing the droid's sides roughly. "You want to know what I was doing? I was watching my master torture Roté to death," she growled. Almost instantly, regret shone in her eyes. Releasing the droid, she pushed her face into her hands once more. Anakin's jaw went slack. She was too young to be watching something like that. R2 gave out a tentative whistle, rolling a little closer. "Please just drop it, R2," she whispered. Once more, the droid gave an encouraging bleep. Glancing at him mournfully, she pressed her lips into a thin line. "If I tell you, you are sworn to secrecy." R2 let out a brave chirp. She blew out a long breath of resignation. 

"You remember the gungan child Roté helped me hide?" He whistled in agreement. "My master found out," Padmé sighed, a pained expression flashing across her face. Even Anakin's gut tightened. "He killed that little boy with swamp eel venom," she hissed. Those creatures were renown for how potent and painful their venom was. No child should be subjected to that. "Then, he found out Roté was implicated, dragged her down to the dungeon, strung her up and kept hacking until she died." Padmé cuddled herself tightly, the corners of her lips curling down.

"Do you want to know the worst part?" she asked, but it wasn't really a question. "It was my fault. I could have stopped it all happening." Her chin began wobbling and tears collected in her eyes. "If I'd just killed the child with the rest of its family like my master told me to, none of this would have happened." It pained Anakin to see her punished for compassion. "My master gave me a choice before he killed Roté too. If I did it myself, he wouldn't hurt her." Anakin's gut dropped. That was the exact same choice he'd been given. He didn't know how he would have held out if it had gone on much longer, never mind days. "How was I supposed to look someone, who had done nothing but help me, in the eyes and kill her," she spat, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I still wish I'd taken that deal," she murmured, shaking her head from side to side. "I would have saved her from days of agony." R2 gave her reassuring bleeps.

It dawned on Anakin that Padmé really had been trying to help him when she told him to kill whoever her master asked. She was trying to save them from this pain. This pain she knew so well. His heart shattered. This explained why she was able to reason away killing people. She really did think she was giving them mercy. He gritted his teeth. Padmé was young in this too. Palpatine was a monster for making her do all of this. For making her feel like she had no other choice. He was vile. Evil.

"My master wants to start a war," she spoke abruptly, her top lip curling. Anakin sat up slightly, giving her his full attention. "I've never doubted that would be the best course of action until now." Anakin cocked a brow. So she wasn't as set in her master's ways as she claimed. "I can't stop thinking about all the people that would be hurt in a galaxy wide war," her voice broke and tears collected in her eyes again. "Would we be doing more harm that good?" She jutted her jaw to one side. "I know I shouldn't be, but I'm scared of what my master will ask of me during this war." Anakin thought that was a perfectly reasonable worry. "What if I have to kill more children?" the horror on her face was amplified by a further outpouring of tears. Anakin's mind was cast to the padawan she'd slain. Had she reacted like this for him? "What if I have to kill friends?" she added.

"I don't think I'll be able to," she sniffled. "I thought it would get easier, the more lives I ended," she sighed. "But it's as if their weight has been added to my blade." Her brows pulled together. "It's not fair they had to die, they were innocent. They had lives. Families. Emotions. Who am I to take that from them?" Anakin felt a lump of emotion in his throat. So many times, he'd had these exact same thoughts. Luckily for him, the majority of his victims were droids. "I hate this," she hissed. "I hate it so much. I hate hurting them." Her face twisted in pain. "More than anything, I wish I didn't have to." She clenched. "Part of me wishes that the Jedi that helped Naboo had been able to see I was of the dark," she sighed. "Maybe they would have cut me down then and there. Wouldn't that have been a mercy." 

Obi-Wan straightened up, clearly disturbed by the image of him killing Padmé. Anakin's chest ached. He was beginning to understand why she had reacted the way she did after she hurt Sidious. The terrified little girl he was staring at now had surfaced. A little girl that seemed to only know pain and misery.

After a moment her expression morphed into annoyance. "What am I saying?" she growled, straightening up and aggressively swiping the tears from her face. "My master has a plan and it's the war is just a means to an end. People die all the time anyway," she assured herself bitterly. "What he did to Roté and the child taught me a lesson. One I won't soon forget." Anakin glared down at the floor. She was reasoning away her pain. "He did it for my own benefit." No he didn't. He'd done it to keep the collar on her neck tight. "Look at me," she snarled down at herself. "Queen of Naboo? Pathetic." The expressionless expression blossomed on her face. The one he hated, especially now he knew what it was hiding. Standing to her feet, she stormed out of the holo.

Another holo burst to life, but Anakin used the force to halt the reel. He wasn't certain he could take something like that again. At least now for a little while longer. "Oh my," Obi-Wan hummed, stroking his beard. "It seems we've found our evidence." Anakin jutted his jaw to one side. It was true they'd found what they needed, but they'd also discovered a lot more.

"I failed her, Obi-Wan," Anakin murmured with a frown. "I was married to her for years and I couldn't see how deeply Sidious had his claws in her." He gritted his teeth. "If I'd seen what was happening, then maybe-"

"Don't pin this on yourself," Obi-Wan interjected. "Padmé was a master of disguise. You never stood a chance. None of us did. Lingering on the 'if's and 'but's will only hurt you." Anakin nodded, pressing his lips together. Still, he couldn't help the upset rising within him. He just wished he'd been able to help that child before she became the Padmé he knew currently. "I think we should wait until tomorrow to watch the rest of those holos," Obi-Wan said and Anakin dipped his head in agreement. That was more than enough for one night.


	38. Connection

When Padmé awoke, she became distinctly aware of her awkward position. She was lying across two slanted bars. One held her legs, the other dug into her back. The lack of blood in her head made her dizzy. Though she couldn't see much, she could hear the thundering noise of what sounded like a waterfall. After her few moments of confused consciousness, the pain hit. Where the bar dug into her back, agony erupted. It was like someone had dug a knife into her back and was twisting it. Her face shifted into a wince. Everything below that area was completely numb. 

Padmé began sitting up, the poles creaked and bent. Before she knew it, she'd slid off of them and was falling once more. She plummeted into cold water that stole her breath. The agony that ricocheted through her body made her open her mouth to scream. Water rushed in flooding her nose and throat, making her choke on it violently. She was swept away by a rough current that pulled her under. She began furiously paddling with her arms in a mad bid to break the surface. The lower half of her body wouldn't respond and dragged uselessly behind her.

When her hands brushed the ground, she pushed hard against it. Her head broke the surface and allowed her to splutter and cough a few desperate breaths of air. With her wrists chained, she could barely keep her head up. Reaching out, she managed to grab the ledge of the canal. Pulling herself over to it, she hauled herself out of the water. Internally, she was screaming. Pain wrecked havoc on her back. Gritting her teeth, she managed to drag her useless legs out. 

In the pitch black she couldn't see anything, but the ground seemed to stretch out ahead of her. Sucking in a deep breath, she clawed her way across it. The pain made her head spin and noise rang in her ears. Although she didn't know where she was, she did know she needed to get out of there. Every inch she moved forwards was agony. Like walking a mile on foot. She hissed through her teeth. She was crawling for what felt like years. Progress was slow and agonising, but she kept going. She kept pushing.

The ground suddenly dipped and she didn't have time to collect herself before her limp body tumbled over the edge and slid a short distance into another pool of freezing water. Her back crunched with the movement, crippling her with pain once again. Head spinning and ears ringing, it took a few moments to collect herself. When she did, Padmé propped herself up with her elbows, but her head barely breached the surface. She fumbled around, trying to find a way out of her new location. Her heart plummeted when she realised she was stuck in a watery basin. Her hands dug into the walls as she tried to clamber up it only to loose her grip and slip back down. Tears sprung to her eyes as she attempted to scamper up the wall. No matter how hard she tried, she just kept sliding back down.

When the pain grew to be unbearable, she was forced to stop. Shivering with defeat, she kept her elbows planted on the ground behind her. Water lapped at the sides of her face. Hot tears streamed from her eyes. Her breaths were shaky and ragged. Padmé assumed she was lost somewhere deep underground and could find no way to escape her predicament. She was well and truly alone. She was going to die. Maybe it was for the best. It wasn't like she had anything to live for anymore. Her master was dead. The mission had failed. She'd left the senate. Anakin hated her. Hopelessness crushed her. She just wanted the pain to stop. She just wanted it all to stop.

Warmth brushed the edges of her mind. Padmé's heart leapt into her mouth and her face screwed up. Anakin was trying to reach her.

*

Anakin woke with a start. He bolted upright in his bed. Sweat coated him from head to toe. Blankets stuck slickly to his skin. He couldn't see anything in the darkness of the hotel room. His heart was pounding. A phantom pain burst to life in his back. For a moment, he was stunned. His breath caught in his throat. Padmé was alive. He could hear her screaming, but not out loud. Something was wrong with her, something was very wrong. Obi-Wan, sensing Anakin's distress, rolled onto his side on the neighbouring bed. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Padmé's alive," Anakin whispered. "I can feel her."

"Is she alright?" Obi-Wan sat up.

"No," Anakin frowned. "She's hurt."

"Can you ask her where she is?" he pressed.

"I'll do my best," Anakin sighed. Squeezing his eyes shut, he followed their link beneath her defences. Padmé detected him immediately and hid behind her internal wall. Anakin let out a grunt of annoyance. He deliberately brushed the spiked shields, wincing as a shot of terror raced through him. Blowing out a breath through his nose, he steeled himself for what was to come. If he was to get to her, he needed to get beyond this barrier. Throwing himself against it, he was amazed when the induced, mental agony lasted for only a brief few seconds. He slipped right through the wall.

Within, he finally felt Padmé for the first time. She wasn't anything like the twisted darkness he'd expected. She was bright and warm, but terrified. His hair stood on end when he realised that barbed wall wasn't a defence at all. It was her mind itself. Though she was warm, he felt her misery like a mouthful of cold slop. Pain was everywhere and in everything. She was a terrified child that had lain down to die in a back alley on the streets of coruscant. Still, her consciousness avoided him. It seemed like she would do anything to prevent a real connection. "Where are you?" he whispered. No response.

Anakin clenched his jaw. Although he had no desire to do what he was about to, he knew there was no other choice. Lashing out like a snake, he roughly grabbed ahold of her. She squirmed beneath his grip, desperately trying to flee. "Where are you?" he spoke forcefully.

"I don't know," came her startled response. With their connection, he found himself thrust into her body for a moment. Darkness. Water. A cold, grainy ground.

"Where have you been the last day?" he asked.

"The last day?" her voice hitched. Her mind twisted with confusion. He sensed her perception of time was completely warped. Anakin's brows lifted. If she'd been unconscious, then that would explain why he couldn't feel her.

"You're still in the catacombs," Anakin sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. "Can you find your way to the base of the well? I will meet you there," he asked. A note of distress was plucked within her and he assumed that meant she was very lost. The water could have swept her some distance. "If you're near a running body of water, follow it back and you'll reach the well eventually." Still, there was no response. He could tell she was struggling with something. Something she knew she had to tell him but was reluctant to.

Anakin supposed she probably wouldn't want to meet with him. She would be wary of getting caught by the Jedi out of fear she'd spend the rest of her life in prison. Although most of her actions were born out of a life of manipulation and terror, a blind eye couldn't be turned to what she'd done. She had to know that. The Jedi however, weren't her enemies. They knew her suffering better than anyone else. They might be some of the only ones in the galaxy that could help her. 

Although he want to go to her himself, her safety was his primary concern. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her so much she threw her life away like she had after Sidious was defeated. If him staying away meant she got out safely, then he would have to bear with it. "Padmé, If you don't want to go near me, fine, but you need to get out of the catacombs," he told her.

"That's not it, Anakin," she responded hesitantly. His brows furrowed. What was holding her back? He slipped a little further into her mind, making light work of her resistance. "Stop," she protested, discomfort fizzing inside of her. He was about to inform her that if she really wanted him to stop, she had to tell him what was going on, but what he was looking for found it's way to him. Resignation. Complete resignation. He felt her debating wether it was even worth trying to get out of the catacombs. A tiny voice inside of her was begging her to find a way to make the pain stop. A louder voice whispered that there was no point in trying. It stunned him for a moment. Of all the things he'd expected to find in her mind, that certainly wasn't one of them. "Please let go," she begged him, squirming in his grip. She really didn't like just how deep into her mind he'd burrowed.

"Padmé, just hold on," Anakin murmured quietly, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "I'll be there soon." Fear spiked within her, along with the urge to flee. Annoyance rose within him. Why was she always running? What did she think it would accomplish?

"Anakin-" she began.

"No, Padmé," he cut her off. "You can run, if that makes you feel better, but we both know I'll find you. As long as you're in pain, I'll be able to track you through this bond. If you check into a hospital to remove the pain, you'll be recognised. I'll get to you before you can leave the planet. You can't flee from me so you might as well cooperate."

"Anakin-" she begged. He'd heard enough. Keeping his grip on her tight, he lifted the defences around his own mind and blocked out her voice. There was no way he was going to let her shrivel and die. That was unfair of her to ask him something like that. No matter what had happened between them, he didn't want to see her suffer. Not anymore.

Snapping open his eyes, he rose to his feet and began fumbling around for his clothes. "Are you going to find her?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I am," Anakin sighed, tugging his tunic over his head. Obi-Wan shifted in his bed.

"I'll come with you then," he spoke quietly. "She is a bit of a wildcard at the moment, you might need backup." Anakin's mind drifted back to his fight against her in the crust. A fight she'd won. 

"Thank you," Anakin responded gruffly.


	39. Found

Anakin stared up into the vast length of the well. The spray of the waterfalls splattered his face and dusted his hair. Padmé had fallen directly down here, so it was the best place to start. Obi-Wan was by his side, peering at him expectantly. "Where do you think she went?" he asked. Blowing out a long breath, he stared at all the possible tunnel exits. He closed his eyes and focused on the connection he had with her. Focused on the agony that permeated from her being. The misery and defeat. 

Before he had even realised what he was doing, his body drew him to one of the tunnels. The fast flowing water raced past their knees. Drawing his sapphire lightsaber, he plunged into the darkness of the crypt. "I think she went this way," Anakin murmured, pushing onwards. The blue light illuminated the tomb all around him but could do nothing for the darkness of the passages that leaded off the main stream. He'd spent hours aimlessly searching as many as he could on the first day she'd vanished. "I should warn you," Anakin began as the pushed onwards. "I don't exactly know what state she'll be in when we find her."

"Can you not sense it?" Obi-Wan asked, lifting his voice over the rushing water.

"All I can tell it that there is some wrong with her back. Maybe she hit something on the way down, but that's not what worries me," he responded, his emotions tightening around his chest. Obi-Wan hummed in curiosity. "You remember what a state she was in after I killed Sidious?"

"Yes, I thought she looked completely out of her mind," he informed Anakin lightly.

"She was out of her mind. No reason was reaching her," Anakin agreed. "I'd grabbed ahold of her hand to stop her falling. The reason she did was because she broke my grip to escape me. She wasn't thinking straight." He blew out a long breath through his nose. "I'm worried she might do something even worse to herself, or us, to escape this time."

"She won't have a lightsaber. If she's injured, she won't be able to match us," Obi-Wan assured him gently. Reaching out, he placed a heavy hand on Anakin's shoulder. They halted and Anakin turned back to face his former master. "We will find her and we will detain her if need be." Anakin clenched his jaw, a lump forming in his throat. Another thought popped into his mind.

"What happens after that?" he murmured. "We'll win our case and when we do, she'll be put on trial. She'll be locked away forever," his voice cracked. Obi-Wan's kind and patient eyes bore into Anakin's own.

"I was thinking about that, after we watched the holo of her as a child," Obi-Wan spoke with a soft lull. Anakin's interest perked. "Padmé has a good heart, she's just been twisted to Sidious's will. No child could withstand conditioning like that." He pressed his lips into a line. "I think we are well within our right to claim she was not in any place to deny her master's wishes." Anakin's brows shot up. "Prison won't help her, but there are other places that can."

"So she might not have to be a prisoner forever?" he felt excitement rising within him.

"I think that depends on her," Obi-Wan sighed. Anakin nodded mutely, his spirits lifting. "Look," Obi-Wan spoke suddenly, pointing down to the edge of the stream. Anakin followed his direction, his heart jumping into his mouth. The light of the lightsaber illuminated a dark, wet patch on the disturbed sand that led off into the darkness of a nearby passage way. It looked like something had hauled itself out of the water and clawed its way over the sand. 

"Is she dragging herself?" Anakin's voice hitched as he leaned down and let his fingers brush the wet patch. It carried with it a silent scream of agony.

"You said she was having trouble with her back," Obi-Wan sighed, staring into the darkness. "Perhaps she won't be much trouble to detain after all." Anakin's heart began racing. He and Obi-Wan traded worried looks before they set off following the trail.

*

Not even Padmé's master could have thought up a torture as truly crushing as what she was suffering through. Over time, she'd slid further into the water and she was forced to prop herself up with her elbows to keep her head above the surface. The muscles in her arms were trembling with strain. It wasn't much longer until they gave out on her. She was a shivering mess. The cold was eating away at her and she could feel her extremities going numb. The pain in her back was constant. Not even the darkside could ease it. The silence and the pitch black were suffocating. The only way she knew she wasn't dead was by twitching her fingers. 

With only her thoughts to entertain her, she was tearing herself into pieces. Her master was gone and it was her fault. Even worse, Anakin was going to find her. She didn't know if she could face him. It was her freakout that had landed her in this position. He'd tried to help her but she thrown that back in his face. Now, she was relying on him once again. She hated it. After all she'd done to him, he had every right just to leave her to die, but of course he wouldn't. His conscience wouldn't let him.

Anakin was still gripping her mind. She'd tried to shift his hold multiple times, but he refused to let go. In the end, it was like throwing pebbles at a droideka. His shields were up too, preventing her from reaching out to him. It seems he really was sick of her. Not that she blamed him. The only thing she could feel from him was his surface emotions and an occasional thought. Just recently, he'd experienced a wave of excitement. She'd assured herself by saying anything could have caused it, but deep down she knew exactly what it was. He'd picked up her trail and he was excited to finally be able to throw her behind bars where she belonged. 

The sound of distant footsteps caught her attention. Her stomach clenched. Two voices rumbled lowly to each other. She backed up the curved wall slightly, ignoring the way her back profusely complained. When a feint, blue glow shone in the doorway her chest became impossibly tight. In no time, two Jedi appeared in it, both brandishing a glowing lightsaber. Padmé forgot how to breathe. Her mind screamed at her to run, but she couldn't. Squinting against the light, she stared up at them cautiously.

"This is a rather strange place to hide, unless you felt like taking a bath?" Obi-Wan commented. She peered around in confusion. It seemed she was trapped in an ancient bath chamber. Curving, cracked walls rose up to a domed ceiling. The set of steps that should have led up to where the Jedi were was crumbled and lay in chunks on the ground.

"She was in still water when I spoke to her last," Anakin grumbled, jumping down from the doorway and into the murky water. "She's been here the whole time. She's stuck." It took all of her will power not to just burst into tears at the truth of his statement. The water sloshed at his thighs as he approached her. She went tense, looking at anything but him and shifting back as far as the curved wall would allow her.

"That's fortunate for us all," Obi-Wan remarked. Padmé certainly wouldn't say this situation was advantageous to her in the slightest. She was completely at their mercy. They could do whatever they wanted to her and she'd have no power to stop them. She hated it. Feeling so weak. So powerless.

Anakin crouched by her side, sheathing his lightsaber. She felt his eyes on her. Obi-Wan jumped down into the water too, holding his blade above them for light. One of Anakin's hands slipped into the depths. She stared at where it disappeared. From the way the water shifted, she knew he was touching her legs but she couldn't feel anything. Part of her thought he was just trying to mess with her, but when he brought her leg to the surface, she was forced to swallow the truth. The movement caused her to slip a little further down the curve. She drew in a sharp breath and screwed up her face as pain violently tugged on her spine. The water crept up further, now lapping at her chin.

"Sorry," Anakin apologised, gently setting her leg back down. In response he received a foul glare. One he ignored. "It's definitely broken. We can't move her," he spoke up to Obi-Wan. "Can you bring the emergency medical team down here?"

"It could take me a while to lead them down from the surface," Obi-Wan told him.

"It's not like she's going anywhere," Anakin responded dryly. Obi-Wan nodded and vanished off into the darkness of the catacombs. Anakin drew his own lightsaber, reaching up to what appeared to be torch sconces on the wall. They ignited one by one, filling the space with a warm, orange light. He then used it to slice the cuffs binding her wrists. Her hands automatically gripped at the ground to keep herself a little more steady. Sliding his weapon back onto his belt, he lowered himself to sit in the water beside her. She felt the shields around his mind lifting. He was giving her the opportunity to speak to him, but there was nothing to say. Glaring ahead, she bit down on her tongue. "Were you really not going to mention that you were trapped and paralysed when I asked you where you were?" Anakin broke the silence, a hint of annoyance sounding in his voice. She clenched her numb hands into fists. It infuriated her, just how helpless she really was.

"Padmé," Anakin spoke softly, startling her slightly. Tucking a finger under her chin, he tilted her head towards him. Her eyes timidly met his. The look on his face made her insides churn. He wore concern and upset so freely. He shouldn't be concerned. He shouldn't be upset. He should be rejoicing. In the span of two rotations, both of his enemies had been compromised. "You're not my enemy," he spoke assertively, a wrinkle forming between his brows. A painful reminder of how deeply he'd burrowed into her head. "We're allies now." Deciding that was a bone she'd rather not pick, she sent him a discontented stare.

"Now that I can't run, can you please get out of my head," she asked him, not quite able to hide the whine in her tone.

"I'm going to wait until the medics arrive," he told her, leaving no room for negotiation. "I don't trust you not to let me know if something is going wrong before then." Padmé jutted her jaw to one side, but made no further comment. Arguing with him at this point would be a waste of energy and, although she hated him seeing into her mind, it wasn't like she had anything to hide from him anymore anyway.

In the silence that followed, she found her mind drifting to other topics. A memory replayed in her head. The memory of slicing her master's hands off. It made her cringe, sending a shot of fear coursing through her. "Anakin?" she asked quietly within her mind. He let out a hum of acknowledgement. "Is my master really dead?" she whispered. His eyes peered down at her, glossing over with distaste.

"He's gone," Anakin assured her. "He can't hurt anyone else ever again." From his tone, she knew he was referring directly to her. It was a thought that gave her a lot more comfort than it should. If her master was dead, he wouldn't be able to exact his horrifying vengeance on her.

"What of the senate?" she continued. Part of her wanted to know what had become of her life's work, the rest was terrified to no end. 

"The senate is reorganising and Bail has been elected a temporary chancellor," he sighed. "They are waiting on the verdict of the Jedi's trial before declaring Palpatine's betrayal and orchestration of the war." It seemed like everything she'd built had been torn down.

"How is the trial going?" she asked.

"We have the majority of the evidence we need. A little more is all we require to have a secure case," he spoke honestly and she could hear the nervous angst within him. Leaning her weight onto one elbow, she reached down to her belt and slipped out a little, metallic rectangle. Lifting her shaky, wrinkled hand from the water, she offered it to him. He accepted it with a frown of confusion.

"A data chip?" he asked. She returned her elbow to the rough floor before her other arm could give out.

"It has the holo recordings of Sidious fighting against the Jedi masters," she explained. "If that's not proof, I don't know what is." Anakin seemed momentarily stunned. He opened his mouth and then clamped it shut. Confusion twisted his features. She felt his mind gearing up to ask her why she was helping him. "My master is dead. Being called a traitor is the least of his worries. You shouldn't have to pay for what he did."

"Thank you," Anakin murmured, staring down at the chip like it was going to dissolve.

"Just consider it payback for not letting me die now," she hummed.

"I wasn't going to let you die," he frowned at her and slipped the chip into his robes. The certainty with which he spoke made her heart twitch.

"You weren't even tempted?" she cocked a brow. Surely it would have been easier for him to let her perish down here and not go through all the trouble of detaining a Sith.

"No," he said fiercely. His face told her he was horrified by the mere prospect. "I couldn't let you die. I've been terrified by the thought of it for years." That, she could vouch for. "Do you want to know what I was thinking when Sidious nearly killed you with your own blood?" She went ridged at the memory. "I've never been so scared in my life. I really thought he was going to kill you. Had he asked me then and there to turn to the dark for your life, I would have." The breath caught in her throat. Knowing how close her master was to succeeding tugged on an old wound. 

"Anakin, that's-"

"Exactly what you were scared of, I know," he huffed. "I've had time to reflect on it, and although I don't agree with the way you lied to me, I can appreciate you were just doing what you thought was best." Her stomach twisted. "I know you care, Padmé, and I guess all I'm trying to say is that I do too." She was stunned to silence. What could she possibly say to that? Something honest. If he was pouring his heart out to her, then she owed him the same, no matter how uncomfortable it made her.

"When I said I was sorry for the pain I caused you, I meant it Anakin," his somber eyes held hers. "Hurting you like that was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life."

"Then it’s a good thing you don’t have to lie anymore," he whispered, reaching out and tucking a lock of damp hair behind her ear. His lips curled into a sad smile.

Once again, she slipped further down into the water. She winced in pain and the cold liquid lapped at the base of her nose. Anakin straightened up slightly, his eyes scanning her. He reached out and gently gripped her quivering upper arm. "You're loosing your grip, aren't you?" he spoke it like a statement. "You have been down here a while," he sighed. Rising to a crouch, he moved behind her. She swivelled her head to look at him. Taking off his cloak he twisted it over his shoulders.

"What are you doing?" she asked suspiciously as he sat behind her.

"At this rate, you'll drown before the medics get here," he hummed. "I know you're not supposed to be moved, but what more damage can already be done than getting rocked around by rapids and falling into a bathing basin." He gripped the sides of her body. "Brace yourself," he warned her, before pushing her back up from the ground and slotting her between his legs. Agony wracked her, making her clench her teeth and violently hiss. Ringing erupted in her ears. "I know. I know. I'm sorry," he comforted her gently, apology written in his voice. He set her back against his own body. 

After the initial pain cleared, her arms cried out in relief. Since the soaked majority of her upper body was now exposed, her shiver intensified. Picking up his cloak, he settled the dry part over her. She gladly welcomed its warmth. Although he was stopping her from falling further, she was completely ridged against him. This was the closest they'd been without trying to kill each other in a long time. He began to gently and slowly stroke the top of her head. Some of the tension in her shoulders melted away. 

"The twins are getting big," Anakin murmured, capturing her attention. She'd often wondered how they were getting along. "Luke is just a little bundle of laughter and giggles. Leia is so stubborn. Getting her to go to sleep is like being on the battlefield all over again." Padmé felt herself smiling. She definitely knew who she resembled then. Anakin was the single most stubborn person she knew. "I'm stubborn? Your stubborn," he countered defensively, his voice rumbling beneath her.

"I seem to remember you literally blocking me out so that I couldn't convince you not to come down here," she responded dryly. Indignation rose within him.

"I did that because I knew you wouldn't change my mind and wanted to focus on finding you rather than arguing with you," he explained, honesty buzzing around him. 

"That sounds like stubbornness to me," Padmé teased.

"I'm not-" he blew out a long sigh of defeat. "Fine, I'll own up to the stubbornness, but they've already started arguing with each other which is definitely a gift they inherited from you."

"I don't start arguments," she objected.

"You just did," he taunted her, amusement bubbling up in his voice. She narrowed her eyes.

"You set me up," she grumbled.

"There you go, starting arguments again," he purred. She clenched her jaw. Fine. If he wanted to play this game, she would simply not respond. He couldn't say she was picking a fight if she wasn't saying anything at all. "I can feel you buzzing away," he chuckled, stroking a thumb over her temple. "It's good to know I haven't lost my touch." Anakin had always been one of the few people who could genuinely get under her skin and he'd always known that. The cocky little grif. He let out a small laugh behind her.

They settled into a comfortable silence. She listened to the sound of his breathing and aimlessly began to count them. Her body slowly lost its rigidity and relaxed into him. Her mind stopped fighting against his grip, knowing there was no point anyway. When she finally stopped resisting him, they fully connected. For the first time, she really felt him. He was warm and bright and brimming with emotion. The light didn't hurt her as she thought it might. It was tranquil and serene. He wrapped himself around her mind. It made the pain a little more tolerable. His thoughts were almost as clear as her own. He was comparing this feeling to the occasional morning during the war when they both had the day off. It happed almost never, but they'd both cherished being able to wake up together. Just like those mornings, time seemed to slip away. Soon enough, the medical team had arrived.


	40. Crushing Love

Anakin sat in the calming revere of a hospital room. At its centre was a long, white bed that Padmé lay delicately upon. She was completely unconscious. A mask was strapped tightly to her face and connected to an abundant number of machines that were beeping in the corner. The bed took up the majority of the room. The white sheets were tucked around her and her hair lay like a halo of bronze locks. The steady tune of the cardiograph machine sang to him. They weren’t the only occupants. The babies sat in a hovering cradle just beside her bed. They were fast asleep and cuddling each other close.

The chairs provided for family were hard, but surprisingly comfortable. He'd been in the room since she'd been taken out of surgery. He still had the headache from trying to prove he was married to her, since only family were allowed to see her initially. Luckily R2, who sat faithfully in the corner of the room, still contained the legal documents.

As he stared at her, he considered all he had learned about her childhood. She'd been condition from a young age to obey her master's every command and most of the time she did. The only exception was for Anakin. She'd risked everything to keep him and the twins from her master's clutches many times over. It seemed to go against her ridged nature. It didn't fix that she'd been lying to him for years, but his heart was still filled by warmth at the thought. He also figured she'd probably not had much of a choice but to lie with her master always breathing down her neck and the Sith ideals carved into her very bones.

The door whooshed open and Obi-Wan slid in, pulling Anakin from his thoughts. "How is she?" Obi-Wan asked quietly, pulling over a chair to sit by his former padawan's side and plonking into it. 

"The doctors are going to keep her in an induced sleep for a day to make sure her spinal implant bonds properly," he explained with a long sigh, stretching his arms over his head. The muscles in his back popped. "Aside from that, he thinks it'll be a week until she can talk and at least a month before she starts regaining control of her legs."

"So nothing too terrible?" Obi-Wan hummed and Anakin nodded. 

"How is your case progressing?" Anakin asked.

"Well. I think we'll win but I'd still like a little more evidence," he sighed, running a hand over his beard. Epiphany struck Anakin like an open handed slap. Reaching into the folds of his tunic, he pulled out the little holochip Padmé had given him. He passed to to Obi-Wan, who eyed it curiously. "What's this?" he asked.

"Padmé gave it to me," Anakin began explaining. "It's a security recording of Sidious's fight with Mace Windu and several other Jedi masters." Obi-Wan's eyes flicked over to her sleeping form and then back to Anakin with an arched brow. "I think she has realised there is no point in fighting against us and saw no reason for us being punished." Obi-Wan nodded slowly, a little smile curling his lips.

"I'll be sure to thank her when she awakens," he hummed. "Yoda and I have been in contact with some of the royal guard on Naboo. They've agreed to do their best to collect any evidence that Sidious was grooming her. Will you make a copy of the holos on R2 and give us whatever ones that could help the case?" Anakin nodded, a bubble of angst and gratitude rising within him. 

"You don't want me to make the case?" he asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. Although he hated the court as much as he hated the senate, he would do his best to help Padmé. 

"You'll be needed here," Obi-Wan responded and Anakin frowned. "You saw how she reacted when her master died. The only thing that stopped her was breaking her back." His heart hurt when he remembered finding her shivering and close to drowning in the depths of the catacombs. "I don't think she'll take being questioned about her past and locked in a hospital room well either." Dread steadily filled Anakin. When she woke up, she was going to have a hard time adjusting from a life of hiding to being thrust into the spot light. He didn't need to be in her head to know that. Wether or not he'd be able to help her, he didn't know, but he had to try. Reaching out, he ran a finger down the bridge of her nose. Whatever may come, he'd do his best to keep her going. "Not to mention, you have two, tiny babies to look after." A smile twisted his lips as he peered at the sleeping infants in the cradle. 

"You have your hands full," Obi-Wan placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder. "Let me take care of this."

"Thank you, Obi-Wan," Anakin spoke wholeheartedly. The Jedi traded a happy stare. "Whilst I have time, I should probably be watching those holos," he spoke after a moment and beckoned R2 towards him. The little droid whistled and rolled over happily.

"I don't have anywhere to be for a while, so I suppose I should stay and help," Obi-Wan sighed. Their moods sobered a little. They had no way of knowing exactly what was on the holograms, but judging by the last one they'd watched, it wouldn't be easy.

"You don't have to," Anakin murmured.

"I'll see them all eventually when I present them to the court," Obi-Wan responded. "I might as well watch them now." Anakin nodded, and with a gesture to R2, he started the reel. The first few holos weren't terrible. It was just Padmé enacting her master's will. She seemed dead behind the eyes. Hollow. Even the way she'd spoken to R2 was different. It was a low, lifeless drone. The way she moved was ridged but sluggish and her eyes had lost their light. It made Anakin's heart ache, to see her drained of her fight. To see Sidious finally breaking her. 

In one holo, Padmé hid R2 when her master descended into a furious rage after the droid was spotted somewhere he shouldn't have been by a gungan native. He'd taken the majority of his anger out on her with force lightning. Not once had she screamed, telling Anakin that she'd been subjected to it many times before. Memories of his time spent in chains because of Sidious made his hair stand on end. Force lightening was a lot more potent than the cattle prod, that was for sure. He found his hand settling on her forearm. With his thumb, he gently stroked circles on her skin. Although she couldn't feel it and what he was watching had already come to pass, he couldn't help but want to comfort her. When it was safe, R2 had rolled out of his hiding place to see her. She'd been staring blankly up at the ceiling. When he bleeped tentatively, she just got up and walked away like nothing had happened.

After that particularly heavy holo, R2 asked if they wanted something a little lighter. Deciding his mind couldn't take anymore, he agreed. The holo flickered and shifted. The image changed. It was Padmé again, but she was fully dressed in an outfit Anakin remembered vividly. Two weaved buns on either side of her head collected locks of silky, dark hair. The dress was long and flowing, showing off a little of her shoulders. Her eyes were closed over as a breeze blew back her ringletted hair. Grass swayed around where she sat. Her face was neutral, a little crinkle between her brows. R2 whistled quietly. "I'm meditating, R2," she sighed, the crinkle becoming deeper. He let out an inquisitive beep. "I'm not trying to find calmness," she grumbled. "I'm filling myself with anger and fear. It strengthens my connection to the darkside." Anakin had heard of Sith meditation before. It didn't seem pleasant in the slightest.

R2 questioned her again. "No, it isn't working," she growled, snapping her eyes open and clenching her jaw tightly. Her expression betrayed her words. R2 pushed her to explain. "Because there are other things on my mind currently," she grumbled, running her hands down her face. R2 whirred. "None of your business," she huffed, glaring down at the grass in front of her. Anakin was intrigued, he hadn't seen her this animated in a holo for some time. R2 rolled a little closer to her and gave out an innocent beep. She shot him a dry look and jutted her chin out to one side. He beeped once more. With a defeated huff, she rolled her eyes. "It's Anakin," she grumbled. At the mention of his name, his heart began pounding. His body tensed. "He has this strange power over me." Her face twisted, deep wrinkles forming on her nose. "I don't like it." Anakin's body froze. A tiny bubble of anticipation escaped his heart.

R2 whistled for her to continue. "He's very..." she paused, her eyes squinting in thought. "Magnetic," she decided eventually. "He has a way of pulling out emotion from within me." Her frown deepened and she drew her legs up to her chest, squeezing them into her arms. "I can't keep my senator face on when he's around." This definitely caught his attention. He'd always thought she was great at wearing a mask around him. "Just earlier today he made a joke about Senator Turu that no politician in their right mind would indulge. Do you know what I did?" She cocked a brow. "I laughed," she spat out those words like she'd committed a truly heinous act. Anakin, on the other hand, felt pride blossom within him. So he'd been breaking that little shell of hers for some time without even knowing it. 

"Do you think there is something wrong with me?" she asked, her face warping with worry as she peered over at R2. He let out a teasing whistle. "I didn't mean it like that." She rolled her eyes. "Do you think it's a Jedi thing?" Even she seemed unconvinced. "It feels like more of an Anakin thing," she tutted. "I can't even smile at him anymore without overthinking it," she threw her arms up in exasperation. "I have to stop and consider: is this too kind for a senator? Am I coming across as cold? Am I smiling too wide?" Letting out a groan into her hands, she collapsed backwards into the grass. Obi-Wan and Anakin traded an amused grin. This was a side to her they'd certainly not seen before. "I don't like this R2," she grumbled. "I've never been so insecure in my life."

"Oh R2," she pressed her palms against her forehead. "You should see the way he looks at me. It's like he's hungry." Anakin's face flushed with heat. Obi-Wan shifted slightly, not daring to glance up at his former padawan. R2 let out a low, teasing whistle. Padmé swatted his metal casing, making the droid rock backwards on his feet. "Not like that," she barked. "It's not lust," she sighed. "I would recognise lust. It's something else." She clasped her hands over her stomach and the corners of her lips curled downwards. "I don't know what he wants from me, but I already know I can't give it to him." Yet she had. Gosh she had. His time with her had produced the some of the best moments of his life.

R2 whistled, rocking himself from side to side. "It doesn't matter what I want R2," she tutted. "For a start, your heart is your biggest deceiver." Anakin pressed his lips together. That wasn't always true. "Not to mention, if I allow whatever connection we seem to have formed to remain, it would be cruel." Her brows pulled in together and she sat back up. "He doesn't even know we are enemies," she sighed. Anakin felt himself disagree with her deeming their bond cruel. A lot of good had come of it. Namely the twins. Not to mention how happy he'd been whenever they were together. Those were memories he would cherish forever.

R2 bleeped again. "Tell him?" Padmé shot the droid a dry look. "Yes, I think that conversation would go down well." She sat up straight and crossed her legs into a basket. "Hello Anakin, how are you today. I thought I should mention, your order has been trained to hunt and kill people like me. You should probably keep your mouth shut about that though or my master will kill you," she mocked, rolling her eyes. Anakin's shoulders slumped slightly. So she'd not told him to protect him just as much as she was protecting herself. The droid made a sad beeping. "I couldn't lie to him forever." She smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress with delicate fingers. "Lying to him now is enough of a task." Anakin snorted at that. She certainly had made her peace with deceiving him. Maybe that wasn't a fair judgment. She had admitted that lying to him tore her apart.

Padmé suddenly went ridged and stared back over her shoulder. Her eyes went wide. "Oh no," she murmured. "He's coming this way." The panic on her face only widened his grin. So she'd been just as flustered by him as he was her. Noted. R2 gave her a whistle of encouragement. "Acting natural is the opposite of what I should do," she chastised the droid for his suggestion. "I just need to think about politics and assassins," she assured herself, taking in a deep breath.

Anakin sauntered into the holo. "Hi there," she smiled up at him. Anakin dropped down to his knees, gently pushed her down onto her back and draped his body over her own. His head settled over her shoulder. The look of shock on her face was priceless. "What are you doing?" she asked, her lips curving in amusement. "You're so heavy," she wheezed, gripping his sides. "Anakin, get off," she giggled. 

"No," he responded stubbornly.

"You're going to crush me," she complained, her head only just poking over his shoulder. There was no response. Another few giggles left her lips as she desperately tried to subdue a smile. "Anakin," she called again. Once more, he didn't response. In the silence, she couldn't withhold the laughter that came bubbling out of her like a steady stream. It was a pure noise that made even current Anakin's heart flutter. Although his past self's face was hidden by the crook of her neck, he vividly remembered smiling so wide his cheeks ached. Padmé's laughter came freely. Although nothing particularly funny had seemed to happen, Anakin assumed she was laughing like that because she had no other idea how to react in a situation like that. Being raised by a Sith would do that to a person.

"You're so heavy," she repeated herself, clutching at his sides. "You need to loose weight," she teased. At that, he lifted lifted his head and put on an expression of mock hurt.

"You take that back," he gasped.

"No," she imitated his blank response from earlier. Anakin's jaw set and mischief danced in his eyes.

"Take it back, or I'll be forced to show you I don't need to loose weight," he threatened her with a cocky grin. Anakin's face heated once again when he remembered who he was sitting beside. Obi-Wan sent him an expression that just screamed 'really?'.

Padmé's eyes widened. "I'm sorry," she blurted out. "You don't need to loose weight." 

"That's what I thought," Anakin replied with a smug smile and dropped his head over her shoulder one again. Padmé was left staring at the sky with huge eyes for several moments. Eventually, she closed them over and her grin lit up her features. 

"Anakin," she whined in a voice that made his hair stand on end. He remembered the first time he'd heard her say his name like that, he'd been driven wild. As told by the way his hands curled into fists in the holo. "Get off," she half laughed and half moaned.

"Hug me, and I'll think about it," he responded. Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, she wrapped her arms around his waist. The grip was loose at first and her expression one of resignation, but her face shifted. A look of horror passed her face, quickly followed by guilt and resulting in sadness. She wrapped her arms around him tighter and leaned her head against his. "I knew you were a hugger," he mumbled. The upset drained away into contentedness as she closed her own eyes over. The current Anakin reached over to the unconscious Padmé and clasped one of her hands in his own.

After a short while, holo Anakin pulled away from her and rose to his feet. She sat up, staring at him wistfully. "I have to go back and speak to the security team at the resort," he mumbled, peering bashfully at the ground and scratching the back of his head. It hadn't been a lie. Walking away from her then had been his first taste of their life during wartime for the next two years. She gave him a little nod and he vanished out of the holo. Leaning back onto her hands and smiling to herself, Padmé appeared to be truly happy. A sight that warmed his heart. 

Catching herself smile, she shook her head and frowned. "I'm weak," she grumbled, and the holo stopped.

"I think that's enough for now," Obi-Wan hummed, pushing himself up to stand and stretching his arms above his head. The bones in his back crackled. "You don't want to completely wear yourself out." That was true. They'd already been on quite a roller coaster. "It's always good to end on a positive note anyway," he winked and slipped out of the room.

Chuckling to himself, Anakin leaned on Padmé's bed and gently stroked her cheek. His heart was beating with love for her. Love he really knew was returned.


	41. Wake to Sleep

Padmé woke slowly. Her mind took its time to connect with her body. She was vaguely aware of a throbbing pain in her back, but most of her body was tingling with numbness. Beneath her was something squidgy but firm. Thin sheets rested over her. Pain banged in her skull. A persistent beep sounded close by. Peeling her eyes open, she squinted against the burning brightness. Everything around her was white. Confusion muddled her mind. She had no idea where she was. Her muscles tensed as she moved to sit up, but a hand pressed down on her shoulder and stopped her from moving. "You're not allowed to sit up yet," Anakin's voice reprimanded her. Blinking slowly, she tracked the hand up to him. He was seated next to her, watching her with steady eyes.

Padmé's brows furrowed and she was about to ask him what was going on when a sharp pain tugged at her throat. A harsh reminder that she couldn't talk. Steadily, the memories began dribbling back in. The tunnels. The fight. The falling. Her eyes widened when she recalled the gruesome fate of her master, at her own hands none the less. Stress rose within her. It was over. It was all over. Everything she'd worked for was destroyed.

"Hey," Anakin spoke gruffly, catching her attention. "It's okay," he whispered. She frowned. It wasn't okay. None of this was okay. It was all bad. Terrible. Disastrous. Her chest tightened so much she could barely breathe. "Padmé," he spoke calmly, catching her attention. "Do you trust me?" he placed a hand on her upper arm. She paused, uncertain why he was asking her. Deciding to put her faith in him, she nodded. "Then you'll know I'm not lying when I say everything is going to be okay." 

Padmé frowned. She remembered how they'd mildly reconciled in the tunnels, but he seemed too calm. Too passive. Anger didn't just simmer away. Did some part of him still want her dead? Letting out a long sigh, he gently placed a hand on her forehead and ran his thumb along the bridge of her nose. "I know we've had our issues, but I love you Padmé," he hummed. Her brows lifted. Forgiveness was one thing, but to openly admit he still loved her was another. A voice in her head whispered that he must want something. "You were left to Sidious for too long. We won't let you suffer anymore."

Hearing those words broke a damm within her. A damm she hadn't even known was there. The idea of living without pain and fear overwhelmed her with desperation and longing. She closed her eyes over as heat seeped into them. It was like he'd pressed a button she didn't even know she had. The stress and fear slipped away into relief. Relief that formed hot tears. Padmé turned away from Anakin as that liquid began seeping out of her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. No matter how she tried to stop it, the tears just kept coming. Once more, she felt pathetic. To cry like this. Her master would have told her to stop acting like an infant. 

Gently gripping her chin, Anakin tilted her head towards him. "Hey," he whispered, brushing away one of her tears with his thumb. She blinked her eyes open and stared at him. He looked concerned, but a little smile curled the edges of his lips. "I'm here for you." Gifting him a smile of gratitude, she leaned her cheek against his hand. Opening it up, he cupped her face. "I love you," he told her again. Once more, that hit her with the same surprise as a slap to the face. Her brows lifted and her mouth opened slightly. His smile widened a little. "I'm hoping that's a good shock and not a bad one you've gone into." Clamping her mouth shut, she gave him a little smile.

The sound of a little gurgle caught her attention. Casting her eyes off to one side, she saw a floating cradle. The force around it was pure and bright. "The twins have been here with me the whole time," Anakin told her, releasing her and leaning his head into his hands. "They are always the quietest around you." Padmé pressed her lips into a line as she stared at the cradle. "I don't know how, but I think they recognise you," he added. She frowned at that, not certain that was physically possible for such a young infant to do. 

Pulling the cradle over to him, he scooped up an infant from within it. It was a chubby little baby with dark, brown eyes. "She has your eyes," Anakin murmured as he leaned her closer to Padmé. Indeed, the darkness of the infants eyes did remind her of her own. A wide smile cut her lips. Reaching out, she brushed a thumb over Leia's nose bridge. The skin was soft and supple like the velvets that had been sowed into the ruffles of her royal robes. The baby let out a delighted giggle, gripping her hand like a vice. Padmé's brows lifted at the strength of those tiny little palms. "They're scarily strong," Anakin commented as if he could read her thoughts. Giving a noiseless laugh, she allowed the baby to squeeze her hand into a tight hug.

"Palpatine's trial was today," Anakin mentioned, his gentle eyes watching her closely. Her heart skipped a beat in her chest, but she carefully cocked a brow. "He was deemed a traitor to the republic." Nodding slowly, she pulled her hand back from the child and clasped it over her stomach. Heat prickled her insides. If her master had been condemned, it wouldn't be long until she too was put on trial. No part of her wanted to be shoved on a stand and told about the crimes she had been hiding for years. "I know what you're thinking," Anakin spoke to her softly. "You will be sent to court, but there are things we can do to keep you from getting a life sentence. All I ask is that you cooperate."

A number of questions raced through her mind. They wanted to help her? Her brows furrowed and she peered down at her limp legs. It wasn't exactly like she couldn't cooperate. After she ran his words through her mind to process them a little, she sent him a quizzical look. With how deeply she'd been implicated in her master's scheme, it would be impossible for her not to get a life sentence.

"You probably won't agree, but we don't think it's fair for you to be locked up forever after wearing your master's shackles since childhood," he explained, placing Leia gently back into the cradle. Padmé drew her head back. She hadn't been shackled by her master. She choose to learn from him. To follow him. "I can see you already object," he gave her a saddened smile. She gave him a stern nod and he let out a long sigh. "You'll be able to argue with us all you want in a few days, when your voice returns, and we will be collecting your story," he informed her. "It is in your best interest to go along with what we tell you and answer our questions honestly." With the way he spoke, it was almost a plead. Still, she was hesitant to just follow the Jedi blindly.

Letting out a rush of air through his nose, he leaned forwards and cupped her face in his hands. "Padmé, even if you don't agree with what we are doing, please just trust me. I swear we'll make everything turn out alright," she felt his heart pouring into his words. Her resolution cracked. After all she'd put him through, how could she deny him this? Especially when he was just trying to help her. Slowly, she dipped her head in agreement. A grin of delight lit his face. Leaning forwards, he pressed his forehead against hers. A smile graced her features. She didn't quite understand why he still cared about her, but by gosh was she grateful.

*

Padmé lay alone in the dimness of her room in the medcentre. The only light came from the yellowed beams that seeped in through the window on her door. The machines monitoring her beeped steadily. Dark shadows shifted all around the periphery of the room. A heavy feeling of unease settled over her. The air temperature dropped, making her shiver. Goosebumps prickled her skin. 

The door slid open. She pushed herself up into her elbows. A dark, cloaked figure was illuminated by a pale ring of light. His clothes dripped with water, collecting into a puddle by the base of his feet. Yellow eyes glowed out from the darkness of his hood. Her whole body went ridged. He moved closer, furiously leering down at her. "What have you done, Padmé?" he growled. Pushing against the thin mattress, she dragged herself backwards on the bed and up onto her pillows. Sharp stings of pain erupted from her back, but she could easily ignore them. 

Padmé carefully eyed him. "You ruined everything," he roared, lunging for her with pale, knobbly hands. Padmé let out a scream. It was very strained and shrill. It tore her throat apart with overwhelming pain. It didn't stop him. He bore down on her, grabbing at her shoulders. She threw her arms over her face and writhed beneath him. No matter how she moved or fought, she couldn't push him away. 

"Padmé, look at me," he demanded. Squeezing her eyes shut, she pushed against him. The hands still kept her pinned. Her heart was racing so fast she thought it might burst. No matter how hard or deeply she breathed, it didn't feel like enough to her tight chest. Realising it was futile, she went limp beneath him. Without her legs she couldn't run anyway. Cowering, she threw her arms over her face and squeezed her eyes shut. Tremors shook her violently from head to toe. So terribly, she could hear the bed frame rattling.

"Padmé," he called her name again, but something was different in the way he spoke. There was no aggression or malice. It was a younger voice. One filled with concern. Peeling an eye open, she peered out from behind her arms. Instead of burning yellow eyes, she saw two, gentle, blue ones. A wave of relief washed over her when she saw it was only Anakin. He cautiously grasped her arms and pulled them away from her face. "It's okay," he whispered to her softly. Even in the dim light, she could make out the deep lines of his frown. "You're okay." She gave him a little nod and settled her arms down on the bed. He released her and took a seat beside her. 

It was taking her mind a few clicks to figure out what was happening. She was warm and hot sweat beaded her skin. Her throat ached with terrible pain. Staring up at the cream ceiling, she felt Anakin's eyes resting on her. Warmth flooded her cheeks. He'd caught her in the middle of a bad dream. When his fingertips tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, she glanced over to stare at him. He reached across her chest and cupped her cheek with one hand, using his thumb to trace her cheek bone. "I guess I know why you drank those tonics now," he murmured. Closing her eyes over, she pushed her face into his hand. Her heart rate was steadily dropping and it was getting easier to breathe. 

Padmé couldn't stop herself before she hugged his arm tightly against her chest. She clung to it like a lifeline. He let her, continuing to stroke her cheek gently. The upset slowly drained from her body, leaving her feeling heavy and drained. It was nearly no time at all before she slipped back into a deep sleep.


	42. Recollection

Time seemed to rush away from Padmé. Days flashed by. The droids had learned to give her sedatives before she slept so that she wouldn't wake in the night. Anakin was with her most of the time, the twins too. It seemed to irritate him, how easily she could get them to sleep. She found a lot of entertainment in watching him play with the babies. He was just amused as they were. When she'd been allowed to sit up, she'd held one of the babies for the first time. It was like cradling the embodiment of warm delight into her chest.

When she was with her little family, her worries for the future seemed to diessapitate. She didn't have to think about her upcoming trial. She didn't have to think about her master's death. She didn't have to think about her failed plans for the future. All she knew was them. The babies' little, chubby faces and Anakin's ever watchful eyes.

A day after she regained her voice, Yoda and Obi-Wan came to visit. They sat on the opposite side of her bed from Anakin and shot her warm smiles from their hover chairs. Sitting up straight, with her back to the wall, she assessed them neutrally. "See you mending, it is good to," Yoda greeted her.

"Thank you," she spoke with a measure of uncertainty. Although she had more or less reconciled with Anakin, she had no idea where she stood with the other Jedi. They could want her dead for all she knew.

"We wanted to know a little more about your childhood," Obi-Wan explained and she fought to suppress scrunching up her features. "I know you will not want to tell us about the bad parts, but it will be for the best if you tell us the complete truth." She pressed her lips into a thin line, already regretting this decision. 

"Proceed, may we?" Yoda cocked a brow. She paused, tempted to back out. Glancing at Anakin, he was watching her with hopeful, encouraging eyes. Letting out a deep exhale and turning back to the other two Jedi, she nodded her head.  
"The first lesson Sidious ever taught you, what was?"

"In general or in terms of the darkside?" she asked calmly, tilting her head to the side.

"Both," Yoda responded.

Pausing to carefully consider the question, the answers had to be taunted out from the darkest recesses of her mind. "I think the first thing he taught me practically was the ancient language of the Sith."

"Were you his apprentice at the time?" Obi-Wan asked. She shook her head. "Did you understand what he was teaching you?" Once again, she had to pause to consider. Deep lines formed between her brows. These were memories she hadn't recalled in some time.

"I just thought he was teaching me a secret language we could use to speak to each other," she sighed.

"The first darkside lesson he taught you?" Obi-Wan prompted. A memory flashed before her eyes. Shifting fur sinking away from her into the dark depths of a lake. Her toes curled and tingling pain squeezed her skull. She immediately boycotted the memory before it could absorb her.

"Levitating rocks," she replied. Obi-Wan seemed unconvinced, but didn't comment on it.

"Teach you this, how did he?" Yoda prompted.

"He reminded me of the friends I had lost and directed my upset at the rock," she answered simply.

"What friends had you lost?" Obi-Wan asked. An avalanche of faces and names tumbled down on top of her, making it difficult to breathe. She began fiddling with her fingers, systematically cracking each and every one of them. No part of her wanted to answer that question. Not even a single bit, but their eyes watched her patiently. Expectantly.

"The most recent to that lesson was my best friend," she responded, shifting her weight. "A Nabian swamp monkey called Greenie." 

"How did Greenie pass?" Obi-Wan pressed. Padmé pulled her brows into a deep frown. Her heart picked up pace. The memories clawed at her attention.

"Do you really need to know that?" she queried, her body going ridged at the thought of having to tell them what she'd done, how she'd murdered an innocent animal.

"We know how much this hurts you," Obi-Wan leaned forwards, reassuring her with a warm gaze. "We wouldn't ask if we didn't have to. I'm sorry, but the more we know, the better." Fear rose steadily within her. Would they turn their backs on her when they learned what a monster she truly was? Gritting her teeth, she realised they probably already knew. They'd seen her murder and torture before. If they decided it was best to lock her away forever, she would accept that punishment. She deserved it. "Please, tell us as much detail as you can." She nodded numbly, decided there was no running from her fate now.

"Greenie was my pet," Padmé explained, leaning her elbows down on her knees. "She'd just had babies." The Jedi listened with detached interest. "My master told me it was time I learned the true meaning of being a Sith. Pain and anger created power." She stared blankly at the bedsheets before her, more memories played in her mind. Every muscle in her body locked up. "He took Greenie, her children and I out on a boat on the lake." A lump developed in her throat and she paused until it subsided. The Jedi remained silent for her. "He drowned the babies, one at a time." Her breathing became harsh. "He asked me to finish the job. To get in the water and kill Greenie too. So I did it." Her heart began pounding in her chest with her admission. A confession that she murdered her own best friend.

"Why?" Yoda asked. Padmé glanced over at him, expecting to find judgement or disgust. Instead, all she saw was upset and pity. Her brows furrowed. "Kill Greenie, why did you?" Padmé found herself overwhelmed by that question. She opened her mouth to answer, but found nothing came out. Instead she glared down at the bed before her. She hated this. She hated talking about this. She didn't want to. It didn't feel good. Anakin gently pulled one of her hands into his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She gripped him tightly.

"My master told me I was evil. Bad. I was evil. Bad. I am," her thoughts came out jumbled and messy. Anakin traced gentle circles on the back of her hand.

"Why did he say that?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Because I was a murderer," her voice came out as hardly a whisper. "I am a murderer."

"Who had you killed?" Obi-Wan continued to dig and she wished he'd just stop. She didn't want to keep talking about this. She wanted to think about something else. Anything else. She felt her mind slipping into a rabbit hole of the past. Expression fell from her face. Images of gruesome deaths played before her. Screams rang in her ears. A tremble rattled her frame. "Padmé?" he spoke again. She flicked her eyes up to him in startle. 

"What was the question again?" she asked. Deciding to crack her defences open a little, she drew as much of the darkside through herself, steadying her body and smothering the worst of her memories. Although she would normally have hated opening her defences near them, it was necessary. It wasn't like she had anything to hide anyway.

"Before Greenie, who else had you killed?" Kenobi repeated slowly.

"My parents and later Orion, my caretaker at the time," she replied, straightening up and pulling more of the darkside through herself. It couldn't settle her racing heart, but breathing felt a little easier.

"Why?" he asked. It was a question she hadn't predicted.

"I didn't have a reason. I didn't want to hurt them," she fought to keep her voice steady. Her attention kept drifting elsewhere as she smothered more memories that resurfaced. "It wasn't premeditated murder. It was more like an accident." Obi-Wan's head tilted curiously. Both he and Anakin traded a look.

"You must have been young when this happened?" Obi-Wan guessed and she nodded in affirmation. "How do you know for sure you killed them?"

"My master told me," she responded, blinking slowly. Once again, the Jedi traded looks. It made her skin crawl. What were they thinking? Could they see something she couldn't?

"Can you describe to us what happened?" Anakin asked softly, threading his fingers through hers. Her brows furrowed in together. "Please." 

"I can only really remember what happened to Orion," she answered.

"That's okay. Tell us what you can," he assured her with a little smile.

"Greenie had just given birth," Padmé sighed. "I'd just discovered the babies when a glass table nearby shattered. One shards got lodged in Orion's head, killing her. Then my master told me I'd killed her." She was hit by a wave of memories. Inky liquid seeping into carpet. The wet thunk of a skull being impaled. The stench of metallic blood. Gritting her teeth, she struggled hard against it but the bindings the memory had on her were tight. It felt like being water boarded. She was drowning with no threat of death. It was excruciating. She couldn't take it. 

"Happy, you were, at the babys' arrival?" Yoda questioned.

"So happy," the corners of her lips curled as she stared blankly ahead. Greenie had been happy too, with her little litter of green and pink infants. They'd been so cute.

"Had Sidious met you before your parents died?" Obi-Wan queried, sitting forwards in his chair. It took her a few moments to think of what he'd said as she pushed aside the memory stuck on loop in her head.

"They were friends at the royal palace," she spoke, nodding her head and trying to recenter her mind. It was drifting away from her. She could feel the bed beneath her and the twitching of her muscles, but it was distant. A foreign experience. Like someone else was feeling it. The hot, sticky terror returned and overwhelmed her force ability. It was impossible for her to keep her head above water. Her from deepened and her lips tugged downwards. The lump bobbed back up into her throat. The tremble clawed its way back into her skeleton.

"Perhaps we should call it here for today," Anakin suggested, watching her with worried eyes. Her eyes were still glazed over.

"I agree," Obi-Wan nodded his head. Both Jedi masters rose to their feet.

"Appreciated, your time and honesty is," Yoda hummed to her. She gave him a weak smile before they slipped out of the room. Anakin shifted, sitting down on the bed in front of her. She peered up at him timidly, half her attention elsewhere.

"Are you okay?" he pinched her chin between his forefinger and thumb. Concerned, caring eyes bore into her. She nodded her head, giving him a thin smile too. Casting her a look of disbelief, he cocked a brow. She hugged her arms around herself and shrugged. Sliding forwards, he locked his arms around her and tucked her head into his neck. A bittersweet, citrusy scent blanched her senses. After she got over her initial shock at the sudden contact, she just accepted it and let herself relax into him. Before she even knew what was happening, heat pooled into her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. Her trembling intensified. "Sidious is gone Padmé," he assured her, squeezing her tighter. "He can't hurt you anymore." Part of Padmé rejoiced at those words. Maybe for once she'd be able to live a day with no fear.


	43. Last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter! Apologies for the long wait. An epilogue will be put out within the next few weeks to better round off the story. Thank you for reading!

Padmé's court date came fast and before she knew it, she was seated in the centre of a court room. Teared seating rose in rings around her. It was filled with all beings of different species. Even in the senate, she'd never felt so many eyes on her. Blinding lights shone in her eyes, forcing her to squint to see the judge and jury that were lined up in front of her. A prosecutor floated on a pod above her, listing off all of her charges in a stern and stoic voice. It felt so wrong, to have something she'd masterfully concealed for years spelled out in front of her. 

Padmé still could not walk. The hover chair she sat in was testament enough to that. Still, it was deemed necessary for her to be cuffed. Anakin lingered just behind her, out of sight. The official reason was to act as a warden for the duration of the court session, but she suspected he just wanted to stay close by. Not that she minded. Feeling his warm light was somewhat soothing.

The session was long and boring. She only minimally started to pay attention when Obi-Wan stepped up to the podium on one of the many pods that hovered above her. He defended her, claiming she was just a tool that her master had bashed into a weapon. Even though he had told her he wanted to help, it still shocked her to see him doing it. A small part of her had really believed everything he'd done and said was just a front to find a weakness in her for him to expose. Perhaps she should have known better than to doubt.

Another shock came again when he announced he had proof of her master's terrible ways. Padmé's master had only ever reserved teaching for Naboo. Somewhere the Jedi had very little jurisdiction. What could they have had that acted as proof? The lights went dark and a blue holo projected over her head. She instantly recognised it as her child self, crouched to the ground and wearing chains. Padmé's jaw fell open. Where had they found that holo? She jolted when her hover chair began moving. Anakin grabbed the back, pulling her out the double doors of the court room and into the empty corridor beyond. 

The moment they were in seclusion, she turned and arched an eyebrow at him. "What are we doing out here?" she asked calmly. He continued to push her chair, walking to some unknown destination through the desolate building.

"We consulted a psychiatrist a few days ago to get a professional opinion," he began explaining, his eyes focusing ahead and occasionally flicking down to her. "We were told that making you watch the holos that have proof of your master’s manipulation would really upset you. They advised us to remove you for that part of the court session." Her brows furrowed.

Anakin took her into a small room. It had a set of plush, comfortable sofas and one of the walls was a holodisc storage unit. A few plants were dotted around the, mostly brown and beige, room, giving it a little burst of life and colour. The soft musk of worn leather tickled her senses. "Why were you consulting a psychiatrist?" Padmé asked as he settled her by an armchair.

"Well... there were a few reasons..." he mumbled, leaning down and scooping her up into his arms. She was unsurprised by his actions. No matter how many times she complained she could move herself, he was never content with letting her. "There is a lot that can affect a trial and it's wise to look at the case from every angle." He placed her down on the seat. 

Before he could pull away, she gently grasped his upper arm. He froze, lifting his eyes to meet hers. "Anakin," her voice held a note of plead. From the way his shoulders tensed, she knew it affected him. "Whatever your plan is, it has already been set in motion. I won't be able to stop you, especially not if you have proof of your stand point." He glared down at the floor. "I'll go along with whatever you want me to, I have no reason not to. Just please tell me what your intentions are." He pressed his lips into a line and took a long moment to observe her. With a long sigh, he settled down onto the end of the couch nearby. He was hardly an arms length away.

"Okay," he murmured. "You’re right. There's nearly nothing you could do to stop our success now anyway and since it is your future you have a right to know." She sent him a smile of gratitude, prompting him to continue. "We consulted the psychiatrist so that we could get a professional to agree with us."

"Agree with what?" Padmé asked, cocking her head to one side.

"That sending you to prison wouldn't be fair," he explained. She leaned away from him, confusion warping her face. If there was anyone that deserved to be in prison, it was her. Especially after all the terrible things she'd done. All the people she'd hurt. "Being in prison would do you no good," he told her. Did going to prison normally do people good? "There are other places you could go that might be able to help you move on from the past. They could help you see the relationship you had with Sidious from everyone else's perspective."

Padmé went ridged when she realised what he was trying to tell her. "You want to send me to a psyc centre?" her voice hitched and her brows lifted. She saw regret flash across his features.

"They could help you, Padmé," he assured her softly.

"Help me? There is nothing wrong with me," she argued. His eyes filled with pity as he stared at her. Indignation rose within her. She wasn't crazy. Sure, she was a little rough around the edges, but she wasn't trying to scratch her own brain out. 

"Sidious institutionalised you," Anakin spoke very softly. Padmé's face furrowed. She was more than capable of living independently from her master. Seeing her distaste for his comment, he shifted himself and paused to mull over the right words to say. "Sidious hurt you a lot, Padmé. It takes time to heal from that kind of pain. They can help you get there." Padmé had never considered healing the scars her master had left behind. They gave her power. Strength. Were the Jedi trying to weaken her? If that's what they deemed her punishment to be, then she would serve out her sentence.

"If that's what you want me to do, then I'll do it," Padmé assured him.

"No, you've got to go into this willingly," Anakin shook his head and sat forwards. Blowing out a long breath, he kneaded his forehead. She watched him silently, not certain what to say. "Would you like to live one day without being scared?" She clenched her jaw. "Would you like to be able to sleep through the night?" Deep lines formed on her brow. "Would you like to be able to spend time in your own mind without having to use the force to suppress memories?" In truth, she didn't know. Padmé had no way of knowing what she would be like without the fear. Would she be evil? Would she develop a temper? Would she hurt others?

"Padmé," Anakin whispered, leaning forwards and grasping her hand in his own. Her attention fixated on him. "It's okay to be afraid, uncertain, but I'll be with you every step of the way." Peering over at him, she felt her heart warm. His steady, certain gaze held hers. The angst fizzled away. 

"If you say this is worth it, then I'll believe you," Padmé muttered softly, dipping her head. He beamed from ear to ear. Delight rolled off him through the force.

"Thank you," he murmured.

It wasn't much longer until she had to return to court. A quiet sombreness had settled over the room in her absence. The feeling of so many eyes on her made her skin crawl. There wasn't much longer left in the court session and the verdict was reached very quickly. Padmé was to be sent too a psychiatric rehabilitation centre until deemed stable enough to return to society. The Jedi seemed thrilled by this, and Padmé supposed she was too because maybe one day she really would live a life with no fear.


End file.
